Almost A Fairy Tale
by daphne's storm
Summary: A Ji Hoo-Jan Di AU set after the incidents in Macau. When Jun Pyo sends Jan Di away, Ji Hoo gets a chance at redemption and possibly, a happily ever after. Completely veers from the original although mostly IC. Our favorite white knight tries to save the day again, but how far will he go to do it?
1. Black Knight

Author's Note : I had stopped reading or writing FanFiction for years, and I still feel bad I never finished my one and only story. But a bout with the flu over the holidays got me hooked on Hana Yori Dango and Itazura na Kiss. And being unsatisfied with the endings for HYD (I watched the Taiwanese, Korean and Chinese versions) because I have second lead syndrome, I decided that Ji Hoo (who is my favorite portrayal of the Hanazawa Rui character) deserved his own happy ending. Hence this story. Thank you to the awesome writers still publishing BOF stories to this day for inspiring to get back to writing.

Chapter One

Black Knight White Knight

She wandered through the crowds, but felt alone. Isolated from the throngs of happy tourists, desperate gamblers, hustlers, entertainers and the gamut of souls who walked the streets of Macau. She could not even hear the buzz of activity, the occasional peals of laughter and the loud chatter of the hordes of people around her — so broken was she that she could hear nothing, see only a blur of color. She wished though, that the same dulling of her senses applied to her heart, for each with step she took away from him, she felt pieces of her heart stretch and tear. She had always thought that when people suffered from a heartbreak, that it happened in one blow. That once that blow was dealt, that the pain would be intense and sudden but that it would over. But it was not to be.

Earlier that day..

It had been late afternoon. Yoon Ji Hoo, So Yi Jeong and Woo Bin had been trying to reach him since they had arrived in Macau, trying to arrange a meeting between Gu Jun Pyo and herself. It was the third day and Jan Di sat listlessly in the cramped room, in the dingy motel that was all she could afford. The rest of F4 were staying in luxurious new Shinhwa resort — the new development that Jun Pyo had been sent to manage the launch of, the reason he had left Korea over a year ago. Ji Hoo had escorted her to this place — his lips thin with disapproval as he saw how rundown the place was, the drunk gamblers sprawled in the faded furniture in the dingy lobby when he went with her to check in. Yi Jeong and Woo Bin had been vehement in their insistence that she move to their suite with them — they could get her her own room in the Shinhwa resort they argued. Money was never an issue for any of them.

Just as vehemently, Jan Di refused. She was fine she said firmly. The door had sturdy locks and they were only a phone-call away. They had hovered around like so many mother hens and despite her nervousness, Jan Di felt a small twinge of happiness. When did they become her friends? Was she not simply the girl that Jun Pyo had singled out to torment?

"Are you sure about this Otter? Ji Hoo asked, taking her small face between his gentle hands and looking into her eyes. She nodded. And he understood without her needing to speak a word that this was something she needed to do on her own terms. Stretching her meagre funds to buy the cheapest plane ticket, the most inexpensive room to stay in — because she did not want to be a burden to anyone, and because she would rather die than become the gold digging opportunist that Jun Pyo's mother repeatedly accused her off.

Ji Hoo sent a look in Woo Bin's direction and the latter gave a small nod, ushering the still protesting Yi Jeong out of the room.

"I'm moving out of the other hotel and I'll check if there's a free room here. I'm not leaving you here by yourself." Ji Hoo said, in a voice that brooked no disagreement.

"No Sunbae. This…this is not a place fit for you…" Jan Di argued. "It's not much but if I lock the doors and stay in my room, it's safe."

"I'll be next door."

"Sunbae…" Jan Di protested, embarrassment colouring her pale face red.

"I understand if you want to be alone and I won't bother you — but please let me do this Jan Di-ah. For my peace of mind." Ji Hoo said shutting down her arguments. He smiled softly and stroked her hair. It was almost to her shoulders now, and with the stress of the past year, her face had lost some of its baby faced roundness. It felt like silk against his fingertips and the young man with the golden hair had to stop himself from pulling her into his arms. Instead, he sat her down gently on the sagging bed and knelt before her. "I'll be back for dinner ok? You need to eat some time. Meanwhile, please lie down and rest — it was a long flight. If you need anything, use this to call me. It has Woo Bin and Yi Jeong's numbers too." He pressed a small mobile phone into her limp had and closed her fingers around it as he stood up to leave.

Three days passed since then and despite F3's efforts to distract her, Jan Di could only fret as the despair slowly grew bigger and bigger with each rejected telephone call. Yi Jeong, Woo Bin and Ji Hoo had been haunting Jun Pyo's office every day, calling all the numbers they had for him and even trying to get through to Secreatary Jung, to no avail.

A knock at the door roused Jan Di from her stupor. She had been lying on the bed unable to rest, simply staring at the ceiling and waiting. Waiting. After all, what were three more days when you considered the whole year that had passed?

She stood and opened the door to find Ji Hoo standing in the dimly lit hallway.

"It's time." He said and she nodded. Frantically smoothing out her clothes and her hair with shaking hands.

"I'll take you to him." Ji Hoo continued, taking her small hand in his and locking the room door after her shaking hands seemed unable to fit the key into the lock.

They walked in silence until in the distance, standing in the middle of one of the less busy bridges that spanned the man made canal, they saw the tall, unmistakeable figure of the person she had traveled thousands of miles to see.

"Do you want me to wait for you?" Ji Hoo asked softly. Then he mentally berated himself – who was he to assume an unhappy ending? Perhaps they would get back together and waiting would be unnecessary. But a year of silence..the odds were not promising for a happy end to this story. Or was this his own wishful thinking? Perhaps. Part of him, the part that was Jun Pyo's best friend, the one that wanted to see Jan Di happy even at the cost of his own happiness desperately wished for a happy ending. And yet, a part of his heart whispered insistently — I could make her happy. I would love her and protect her. I would…

Jan Di's soft voice called him back from his meanderings.

"No Sunbae..I'll be fine..however this ends, I'll let you know…" Jan Di lifted a shaking hand, the small metallic phone gripped tightly in her fist.

And he watched her, the girl he loved, walk away.

Jun Pyo turned around as he heard her footfalls on the bridge. His face was blank. She didn't really know what she was expecting — but certainly, it was not this stone statue of the man she loved.

"What do you want? Why did you come here?" He said. His voice cold and devoid of emotion.

"I…I came to see you…It's been a year…I hadn't heard from you.."

"And the fact that I haven't contacted you in a year, that didn't send you the message clearly?" His voice grew even colder if that were possible.

And she felt pieces of her heart, the parts that belonged to him, cracking and tearing away slowly.

"I thought maybe…that..maybe you were busy and maybe your mother…"

"My mother had nothing to do with it. Can't your little commoner mind understand? You were never good enough for me. It was fun to play with you while it lasted — but it's not fun anymore."

He was no longer the man she loved. He was not the one she had waited over a year for. Not the one she fought to be with. She barely recognised him, this caricature wearing Gu Jun Pyo's face, but speaking in the voice of a stranger.

"Just to make it very clear — you are nothing to me. All you are is an episode I want to forget. A stain I want to erase."

"But..you said..you asked me to wait."

"You wasted your time Geum Jan Di. And you're wasting mine. I suggest you return to you Korea and live out the rest of your commoner life. I never want to see you again."

She was silent now. Her eyes stinging with the effort of holding back her tears. She had traveled far. She had worked until exhaustion overwhelmed her, packed her best (yet threadbare clothes) in the battered suitcase, she had skipped meals and scrimped and saved to come here. The rest – Yi Jeong, Woo Bin and her Sunbae had offered repeatedly to pay for her fare, but she had refused. Her pride demanded that if she were to come here, she would do so on the sweat of her own efforts. She was Geum Jan DI after all, a weed that can survive the harshest of adversities — she would accept no handouts.

"Don't get me wrong .." Jun Pyo continued "You were...fun...fun while it lasted. And I'm not totally heartless and I do feel sorry for you. Tell me where you're staying and I'll send my secretary with a free return ticket to Seoul."

She shook her head vehemently.

"No. Gomawo but it will not be necessary."

And as she bowed farewell, she could feel the pieces of her cracked heart breaking off, piece by piece – drifting off into the slowly darkening sky of early evening.

She turned and walked down the bridge.

Jun Pyo watched as she walked away, his face still impassive but now his eyes turned stormy and the setting sun etched harsh lines into this face. He would not. He could not ask her to stay.

"Are you sure about what you've done?"

Jun Pyo turned around and there, approaching him from the other side of the bridge was the man who had been his best friend for most of his lonely life. But instead of the usual bemused, somewhat sleepy and bored expression he usually cloaked himself with like a mantle, Ji Hoo's eyes were burning, his jaw set into a hard line.

"What?" Jun Pyo asked angrily. "What are YOU doing here?"

"I'm here for her."

Jun Pyo laughed sardonically, but then was silent. A spasm of what Ji Hoo thought could have been pain crossing his face. But as quickly as it came, Jun Pyo shuttered his face again. Impassive. Unyielding.

"Are you sure?" Ji Hoo asked again, his hands balled into fists. How could he stand there so unfeelingly? So cold and disconnected. How when he had just broken the heart of the girl they had both loved?

"What is it to you whether or not I'm sure?" Jun Pyo said, a sarcastic smile on his face now. "Since when did you start collecting my cast off toys?"

Ji Hoo felt such a powerful rage that he had never experienced in all his life. HYe had always been the rational one. While Woo Bin had always been the peacemaker of the group, woo Bin had never really had to use his considerable peacemaking skills on Ji Hoo before. Because he prided himself on his calm. And the fact that he could detach himself from any situation an control his temper. Because he was always, always rational and he never let his emotions rise to the surface. It was only after he met her - the exasperating, challenging, stormy, adorable Geum Jan Di that Ji Hoo had ever felt he was not in full control over his emotions. And even more strangely, that it was not an unwelcome feeling.

Before Jun Pyo could speak again, Ji Hoo delivered such a strong blow that Jun Pyo staggered back and had to brace himself against the stone railing. He felt a trickle of blood, and a stinging on his lip where Ji Hoo's punch had hit him. He glared at his former best friend struggling to find the words to explain why he had had to do this.

But he could find no words because his heart was full.

"I gave her up to you before — because you are my best friend. And I thought that you really loved her. And I've stood back, watching you and your crazy mother hurt her over and over and over again…but that stops now. I'll take your silence as a yes." Ji Hoo said. He felt his anger drain as he saw the hopeless look in Jun Pyo's eyes. But his resolve did not waiver.

"Geum Jan Di is not your play thing. And if I made the mistake of stepping aside and leaving her to you before, I'm back. And I'm not leaving her again."

With that, Ji Hoo walked past Jun Pyo and began walking in the direction that Jan Di had gone. He had made it almost to the end of the bridge.

"She's never going to get over me you know." Jun Pyo said, his arrogant voice carrying over the few feet between them. "She was always mine."

"Not anymore."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Has she called you? Or Woo Bin?" Ji Hoo frantically asked Yi Jeong, his panic rising. It had been hours since she had walked away from Jun Pyo and the three had been unable to find her. It was already dark and to make matters worse, the skies decided to open up. Not a strong violent rain that would go as quickly as it came, but slow, steady drizzle that muddied the streets and made the humid air even stickier.

"No." Yi Jeong replied, the worry evident in his voice as well. He and Woo Bin had been waiting anxiously in their suite. It had been him who had finally gotten through to Jun Pyo and succeeded in arranging a meeting between their friend and the girl who had become like a sister to him and Woo Bin. "She's not even in the hotel anymore. Woo Bin even had them check the CCTV footage…we can't find her anywhere! He's still talking to security now.."

"I'm going to look outside the hotel, she can't have gone far..."

"What happened Ji Hoo? Why did she run away?" Yi Jeong asked for the nth time. He and Woo Bin had no details of the meeting from Ji Hoo. They knew only that the meeting had taken place and that Jan Di had run off.

"He told me he sent her away. Then he compared her to a cast off toy…a toy he had gotten tired off." Ji Hoo's voice shook again with remembered anger as he hung up the phone.

Yi Jeong was stunned into silence. That was cruel, even from Jun Pyo. And yet, should they have been surprised? Since they were little boys, Jun Pyo only wanted what he could not have. And once he had taken it, he lost interest. Did he not become interested in Jan Di only because she had resisted him? Because unlike all the other girls in Shinhwa, she seemed oblivious to him?

Or worse, was it because it had been so obvious that she was attracted to Ji Hoo first?

And once he had gotten her, just like everything that attracted him because they were initially unattainable, was it not like all the other times when Jun Pyo got bored because the thrill of the chase was gone?


	2. Damsel in Distress

Author's Note : In my mind, the Shinhwa Resort is what is in actuality, the Venetian in Macau and the Four Seasons, is in fact, very close by as is Old Taipa Square which is one of the older parts of the Taipa district where the large casinos are located. If you're ever in the neighbourhood, this is a cool place to visit with many little restaurants serving Macanese food – a fusion of Chinese and Portuguese cuisine.

Damsel in Distress

He found her sitting in front of the the fountain in Old Taipa square, a few kilometres from the hustle and bustle of the casinos where she had come from. She was, staring blankly at the phone still clutched in her hand, as if trying to decipher what alien device she held and what she should do with it. Of perhaps, wiling it to ring. For someone to call and tell her this all a bad joke.

"Otter?" He said softly "It's me. Have you been sitting here long?" He reached out and gently pushed a strand of wet hair behind her ear. She was wet from the rain and her skin was cold. Anger at Jun Pyo for doing this to her waged war with the strong desire to take her into his arms. But at this point, Ji Hoo could see she was like a wounded little animal, and he didn't want to startle her.

"Jan Di-ah? It's me. Are you ok to go back to the hotel? It's getting cold and your clothes are wet…"

She looked up and blinked. As if not quite sure that he was really in front of her – the very same person she had been wishing for for the last few hours. Time had seemed to stop for her as she felt herself getting smaller and smaller, as if the pieces of her heart were also taking pieces of herself with them into the now dark skies. The rain had stopped, not that she had noticed. Nor did she notice that she was cold or that her clothes were soaking wet. She didn't even know how she had gotten here or how long she had sat there, watching but not seeing the happy tourists come and go, laughing families, giddy honeymooners.

"How did you know?" She asked him. "I was…I was going to call you but…"

Ji Hoo paused, a quizzical tilt of his head indicating his confusion.

"How did you…find me? How did you know I wanted you?" She asked in a whisper.

"I could hear the alarm…" he responded, picking up her cold little hand and placing it on his chest. "In here…I'm sorry it took me so long to find you little Otter…" He expected her to pull back her had, the way she often did lately, avoiding physical contact with him.

He had missed this, the feeling of her hand in his. Skin on skin. The warmth of her little palm seeping through the damp fabric of his shirt and he thought "Can she feel how fast my heart is beating? Does she know how much even something this little does to me?"

From the beginning, they had always shared some strange bond, one where the small touches, the little hugs, the pats — this had all been normal. Having been orphaned so young, Ji Hoo had never been comfortable with people touching him. He had grown up cared for by servants and never experienced the hugs and kisses of a mother or the strong embrace of a father. His only friends had been the F4, but being rough and tumble boys, their idea of physical affection, more often than not, was quick punch or a hard shove when playing their games.

Min Seo-Hyun had been the first girl he had kissed. And when he went to Paris to chase after her, she had been his first. And while he had loved her from childhood, their first kiss, their first time had left him wondering if there should be something more…he did not want to say he was disappointed…but perhaps he sensed something missing, something he was not sure of himself. He thought he would feel…more. The way hearing a powerful symphony washed over him. Like an overwhelming wave of emotion. Like the earth would shatter. It had been, for the lack of a better word —awkward but comfortable at the same time. Perhaps it was because they had known each other for too long. Maybe the long years of waiting had built it up so much in his mind that the reality could have never possibly lived up to the fantasy. Perhaps also, or so part of him believed, Seo-Hyun's heart had never really been in it — and as she told him gently before he left, because his had not been either.

Perhaps.

It was different with Jan Di. For the first time in his life, she made him crave physical contact. It amazed him sometimes how quickly he could go from the warmth and comfort of holding her hand to the sudden desire to kiss her, and kiss her hard until they were both out of breath. With her he felt the opening bars of what he thought would be a powerful symphony start to play. And he often lay awake at night wondering how it would feel to have her lay next to him, to feel her skin against his, to hold her to him and run his fingers over her skin as if she were the rarest, most precious Stradivarius.

And for a while, he had this. At least, the part where he could hold her hand, or stroke her cheek, hug her when she looked upset…but when she had started dating Jun Pyo, she had become more skittish. Often she would start to lean into him or allow an embrace but seconds later, pull away with a guilty start. Even when Jun Pyo had been gone for months.

"I was waiting for you…gomawo…for finding me. I…I just want to go home.." Jan Di said, her hand still over his beating heart.

"I will always look for you Jan Di-ah and I promise I will always find you." He said pulling her close to him and enveloping her in his arms as had been wanting to do since he finally found her. "Let me be home to you."

And with that, he led her away back to the warmth and shelter of the hotel where Yi Jeong and Woo Bin anxiously waited.

And where in the penthouse, high above the city, Gu Jun Pyo looked down at the darkness and the pinpoints of light, wishing he were anywhere but there.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

To Jan Di's surprise, the car brought her and Ji Hoo not to the small tourist inn where the two of them had spent the last three nights. Instead it pulled up to the imposing driveway of the Shinhwa resort where Woo Bin and Yi Jeong were staying.

She looked at Ji Hoo questioningly.

"We're just here to pick up Woo Bin and Yi Jeong," he explained. "We're all moving to the Four Seasons — it.s just next door."

Seeing as Jan Di was about to protest, he put a finger gently to her lips to quiet her. "I know. I know. Your old hotel was perfectly fine…but honestly, can you see Woo Bin and Yi Jeong staying there?" He turned slightly to the left to face her with a quirky smile — he had not let her go since he found her and she had been tucked into his side for the walk to the car, the short car ride to the hotel. — and he planned not to let her go untll she asked, which had not happened yet to his relief. "Can you imagine them staying there? Their street cred would suffer beyond recognition, think of what their thousands of instagram followers would say." He joked trying to get even a small smile out of her. "Yi Jeong would probably post photos of his rashes from not sleeping on non 10,000 thread count sheets!"

He failed.

And from the look on her face, he already knew what she was thinking.

"It's just for one night Otter…I know you wanted to do this on your own, to show Jun Pyo.s mom that you would never take handouts or take advantage — but now that it.s over with Jun Pyo, this is not something you should still be worrying about." Ji Hoo said gently.

Finally, she gave a small smile and drew closer to him. He hummed in contentment and picked up his phone to call Woo Bin and yi Jeong.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Four Seasons was every bit as lavish as its reputation advertised. Even in her exhausted state, Jan Di marvelled at the plushness of the carpets, the muted luxury of the interior and the elegance of the guests scattered throughout the lobby. She felt every inch the commoner with her sodden clothing and bedraggled hair and allowed herself to be simply led by Ji Hoo to the elevator. The three men were quiet throughout the short elevator ride — Woo Bin and Yi Jeong for once seemed at a loss for words, as if they were afraid she would break down. Only Woo Bin's fierce hug and Yi Jeong's whispered "I'm sorry Jan Di" as he also embraced her indicated that they had some idea of what had happened.

In the seeming blink of an eye, the elevator doors opened and their personal butler led them down the hall, stopping in front of two double doors facing each other across the plushly carpeted hallway. Clearly, this was how the "other half" lived – no lining up at check in counters and reception desks for them, and a personal butler no less.

"Gentlemen, this is your suite'" the butler said, opening the double doors on the right side of the hallway with a flourish and handing keycards to Woo Bin and Yi Jeong.

"And I assume Madame and Monsieur will take this rooom?" He said in a french accent. Was he really just a hotel employee? Even in her depressed state, Jan Di was sure that this man's necktie alone was worth more than her monthly wage at the porridge shop. (Too intimidated by him, Jan Di could not bring herself to correct him that they were not "Madame and Monsieur" — did he assume they were married? A couple?

She looked up uncertainly at Ji Hoo and he simply nodded at her. He thanked the attendant and took the keycard from him. "Don't worry Otter, it's a suite and you have your own room — I just thought that maybe you wouldn't want to be alone tonight? But I can ask them for a single room down the hall if you prefer?"

She shook her head, partly because she did not want the boys to go to any further trouble on her account, but mostly because he was right. The last thing he needed tonight was to left alone to relive every single painful moment of the last afternoon.

"If that will be all gentlemen?" The butler said "Your luggage has been transferred and unpacked in your rooms. If you need any assistance, please do let me know. Good night." With that, the butler left and the four were left alone in the hallway.

"Well..we'll see you later I guess?" Woo Bin said. "Take it easy eh wonder Girl?" He turned and with a small wave, walked into the suite.

Yi Jeong stared at Ji Hoo for a moment, and with a small incline of his head towards his room, signalled Ji Hoo that he wanted the latter to follow.

"Give me a few minutes to settle Jan Di in, I'll call you." Ji Hoo replied to the silent question, and taking her gently by the shoulders, he turned her around and ushered her into the room.

The heavy door shut behind them as Ji Hoo led Jan Di into a fairly large sitting room.

"I think they put your luggage in this one, but you can pick whichever room you want Jan Di-ah, they pretty much identical and both have a bathroom attached." Ji Hoo opened a door to a lavishly appointed bedroom, the size of which was equivalent to all the rooms in Jan Di's house combined.

Jan Di turned around, taking in the room. It was beautiful…but cold. And all of a sudden she felt very much alone, with only Ji Hoo as her anchor in a turbulent world. She felt the tears rising up again — perhaps if by the same accident of fate that she had been born into a family as wealthy as theirs, if she had been born as beautiful as Min Seo-Hyun, if perhaps she had not been the daughter of a drycleaner, smarter, prettier, perhaps she would have fit into this room.

He could tell she was on the verge of breaking down again and Ji Hoo was worried that after everything she had been through that day, Jan Di could not take anymore emotion. "Why don't you run a bath and relax?" He suggested. "You need to get out of those wet clothes."

Jan Di nodded. A bath sounded like heaven just then.

"If you'll be ok alone, I'll leave you to it and go to the other room to talk to the guys." Ji Hoo said, not wanting to crowd her or over protect her.

"I'll be ok Sunbae." Jan Di replied "I just need to be alone for a while. Why don't you go and see the guys, I think they're waiting for you."

She smiled a tired smile at him, one that didn't reach her eyes but looked so brittle that it could crack at any moment. He wanted to comfort her again, but didn't want to further intrude on her pain. He knew she would open up to him when she was ready, so he simply gave her a small hug and walked out of the room.

Barely had the door closed when he heard her start crying again. The kind of sobbing where she tried to hold back the noise for fear of being noticed, the kind of sobbing that reeked of desolation and hopelessness.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Ice Queen

The Ice Queen

It could have been a few minutes or a few hours, she did not know. Today it seemed, time was always getting the better of her.

But all her tears finally spent, Jan Di got up from the floor and made her way to the bathroom. Washing her face in the sink, she looked up to see her reflection in the mirror — her face was pale and drawn, her hair a tangled mess, her eyes red rimmed from crying and her dry lips cracked and broken. Suddenly, her sorrow started to wash away and ebb, and in its place, a slow burning anger started to grow instead.

This…this broken pathetic creature was not her.

She had travelled so far to get here. Took countless odd jobs, gave up on sleep, subsisted on the cheapest instant ramyeon she could find so that she could travel to this place.

She did not deserve the treatment he dealt her.

She had been faithful. She had waited as he asked.

Poor as she was, she was not a piece of garbage to be thrown away.

(And yet, part of her heart still spoke softly to her — bringing to mind how Jun Pyo could be kind and tender. And how he had fought his mother for her although in the end, perhaps he had given up after all.)

But, she thought to herself, it cannot be that only one person is fighting for a relationship. One person cannot make all the sacrifices for both. And when the other has given up, what point was there for the other one to keep fighting?

She had given this relationship her all. And this forsaken trip to Macau, this was the last of what she had left to give. And perhaps, one day if Jun Pyo ever looked back on this day, he would realise that she, Geum Jan Di, had scarified the only thing of value she owned to make one last effort to save their relationship — her pride.

These were the last tears she would ever shed for Gu Jun Pyo.

It was time to start moving on. To forget. To start over.

She was strong. She had always been strong — never this blubbering mess of a girl who shed tears as if they were rainwater pouring from the skies.

She had always been alone.

It would not be hard to be alone again.

(But you are not alone, her insidious mind whispered, not when you have Yoon Ji Hoo)

She tried to dismiss the thought.

After all, what had she to offer him? And if the brash, rough, uncouth Jun Pyo had found her wanting, what more Yoon Ji Hoo who was more – more beautiful, more gentle, more cultured – what more Yoon Ji Hoo?

(But he seems to like you as you are, her mind whispered again)

Did he? Or was it just pity? The same kind of pity that one who offer to any hurting creature? Ji Hoo was nothing but kind and caring, it was in his nature to help others.

(But he doesn't do as much as he does for you for use anybody, does he?)

No.

She could not continue to think this way. She would NOT pin her hopes or her heart on another hopeless love.

(Love? Why are you thinking about love? her internal dialogue questioned, ever the devil's advocate, Could it be that you have never really fallen out of love with Ji Hoo? That you turned your attentions to Gu Jun Pyo only because unlike Ji Hoo who left you for Min Seo-Hyun and Paris, he was just THERE? And that he seemed to like you?)

She thought of the gentle way Ji Hoo's hands had wiped away her tears, and how safe she felt in his arms today. As if nothing could touch her there. It was, she had to admit, a wonderful thing to have someone take care of her for a change. To drop her guard and stop being "Wonder Girl"…

She could take care of herself — always had and always could. Even at the height of the bullying in Shinhwa, she had stood her ground unbowed. But, with Yoon Ji Hoo, it felt as if she did not have to fight her battles alone.

Maybe it wasn't so bad to accept help.

And maybe, it wasn't so wrong to want to try to love again.

Jan-di Di sank into the fragrant hot bath with a contented sigh – she had never had the luxury of a bath like this one – in fact, it was probably the size of their entire apartment. With a contented sigh, she sank deeper into the warm fragrant water.

She felt a thousand years old. The last two years with Gu Jun Pyo, truth be told, had left her exhausted, It had been a whirlwind, a rollercoaster ride full of high highs and the plunging lows.

She had tried her best to hold on, and did so for dear life.

But she was tired of the rollercoaster. Tired of struggling.

Tired of being looked down on, punished and belittled.

Maybe, just maybe, it was ok to love again.

Someone who loved her back this time.

This time, a love that was not so hard to carry.

Gu Jun Pyo looked but did not see the view, the brilliant lights from the balcony of his palatial suite. He had been living here for a little over a year now, and yet it never felt like home. But then again, nowhere felt like home. All he had had were a series of places to sleep. It only ever felt like home when his sister was there – but once his mother had married her off and sent her to Europe with her rich hotelier husband, the most she could do was visit once in a while. His reverie was broken when he heard the door open and from the corner of his eye, saw Secretary Park come in — followed of course by his mother – God forbid she ever had to open a door herself.

"Is it done?" She asked, her voice as frosty as ever.

Jun Pyo ignored her, he did not trust himself to respond in a calm and normal manner. At this moment, he hated her more than anything or anyone he had ever hated before.

"Jun Pyo!" She barked. "Answer me."

He turned his head and saw her as if seeing a stranger – well, to him she was. He had never felt like she was his mother. Just a controlling force whose concern was purely for the purpose of ensuring that her pawns in the game of business, remained pliant and ready to sacrifice at any time.

"It's done." He finally answered.

Madame Kang nodded approvingly.

"This is for the best." She said,. "You will thank me one day."

"Thank you?!" Jun Pyo bit out a retort, shocked at her self-delusion.

"Thank you for what? Turning me into a cruel asshole like you?"

The crack of a palm hitting his face resounded. It was not the first time she had slapped him – in fact throughout his childhood, he could not remember a single time she had embraced him – but could probably count tens of times that she had slapped him. Never his sister of course, or he would have stacked her. Madam would never hit HER. After all, HER face was an important part of her value as an asset and should not be marred — but Jun Pyo was a boy and therefore, need not be handled as gently.

"I see that you're still affected by her.." Madame Kang said, looking at him thoughtfully. "Perhaps today wasn't enough to cut your ties."

"I don't know what you're talking about..I did what you asked." Jun Pyo replied, struggling to keep the anger and fear out of his voice. He knew his mother well – she was like a predator poised to strike at any sign of weakness. He wished he could be strong — that he could defy her like Yi Jeong was a let o defy his father, or like Woo Bin who was the only one amongst F4 who actually had a good relationship with his parents. In fact, right now, Jun Pyo felt that Ji Hoo, who had no parents at all, was the luckiest bastard alive. Better to be an orphan to have his mother as a parent. He wished he had the guts to stand up to her – to stand up for Jan Di. But he was…weak.

"I can tell that you still have…feelings..for that commoner. But that will fade soon enough. I will see you in Seoul in a month, be ready." Madame Kang said. "Maybe I need to take further action. Secretary Park, let's talk in the car" She said imperiously.

"And Jun Pyo — don't get any ideas – you know what will happen right? This company – this is your father's legacy — do you want to be the one that tears down four generations of this family's work over a stupid girl?"

With a final sarcastic smile, Madame Kang swept out of the room followed by Secretary Park who nodded ever so slightly at Jun Pyo, pity in his eyes.

Jun Pyo turned back to the balcony and as he heard the door slam shut, let the tears come.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He heard her break down into sobs as he closed the door, but somehow knew she wanted – needed- to be alone. The tug to go to her and hold her was strong, but he did not want to intrude. He knew that if she really needed him, that he would only be nearby and he would hear the alarm. Meanwhile, there were explanations to be made.

"Is she ok?" Woo Bin asked anxiously as soon as H=Ji Hoo entered the room across the hall. Ji Hoo nodded. He sank heavily into the plush sofa in the suite's living room and put his head in his hands. It had been a long day,

"What happened?" Yi Jeong asked getting up and moving towards his friends.

"I brought her to Jun Pyo like you said. He was already waiting for her at the bridge and she asked me to let her go alone.." Ji Hoo began. "But…but I couldn't just leave her like that…so I hid behind one of the pillars."

Woo Bin nodded and patted his friend.s shoulder. "It's ok bro — I would have done the same…"

"He was so..cruel." Ji Hoo started again to be interrupted by Yi Jeong. "But it's Jun Pyo…you know how he is…" Yi Jeong tried to defend their absent friend.

"No – this was different." JI Hoo explained "Jun Pyo is like a volcano – all fire and bluster and then it's over. I never saw him like this before — so cold and calculating. Like every word was scripted to make sure he inflicts the maximum damage. I will never allow him near her again." He concluded, a strong note of resolve and conviction in his voice.

"Allow him?" Yi Jeong argued, eyebrow raised. "Who are you to allow or not allow anything? What about her boyfriend? Or have you forgotten our friend?"

"Boyfriend? Is that what he is? IS that how a boyfriend treats the girl he supposedly loves?" JI Hoo argued, his normally cool façade slipping.

"Who are you to judge?!" Yi Jeong countered back "You don.t even know what they talked about!"

"Oh I know — I was there. He called her a mistake." Ji Hoo retorted, biting out each word like an oath. "He told her that he deliberately didn't contact her for a year and that she should have gotten the message from that. He told her he didn't want to ever see her again."

"Ji Hoo…." Yi Jeong started, as if about to argue Jun Pyo's case further.

"HE CALLED HER A STAIN HE WANTED TO ERASE — as if she were something DIRTY!" Ji Hoo finally lost his temper and shouted.

The other two were shocked. They had never seen their normally calm and stock friend this way, Ji Hoo looked as if he was about to attack Yi Jeong if he spoke another word

"WHOA..whoa.." Woo Bin interfered, ever the peacemaker. He knew how deeply Yi Jeong's loyalty ran in terms of their friendship with Jun Pyo…but at the same time, Jan Di too had become, over the last few years, one of the very few friends he could count aside from F4. And even for Jun Pyo, the words Ji Hoo attributed to him were harsh. "Yi Jeong…Jan Di is our friend too…and much as Jun Pyo is also my friend, that was too much…he didn't have to do that.."

"Where is she now?" Woo Bin inquired from Ji Hoo.

"I left her in her room, she was still crying." Ji Hoo said shaking his head in frustration. "I have never seen her this..broken."

"She's a tough girl — she can take it.. and you know Jun Pyo probably didn't mean it..it's that mother of his…." Yi Jeong again attempted o explain.

"Jun Pyo is a grown man! He can't blame everything on his mother!" JI Hoo raised his voice his momentary calm gone again.

Woo Bin looked at his friend – worried. He had never seen Ji Hoo this angry before. "What do you plan to do now?" He asked.

"I'm taking her back to Seoul tomorrow'. Ji Hoo replied "And then…we'll see."

"Don't worry bro, we'll be here for her too." Woo Bin assured him, patting his shoulder. "Right Yi Jeong?" He prompted.

"Look Ji Hoo — I care for her too – but you and Jun Pyo are both my friends…are we going to break up F4 over this?" Yi Jeong tried to explain, running his hands through his hair in frustration. "They have a history…they always end up together…what are you going to do if that happens again?"

The question hung in the air unanswered.

"Then I will be there with her — in whatever way she needs me." Ji Hoo responded, his eyes sober. He too had thought of this – and the thought that Jun Pyo would come charging back in one future day to reclaim Jan Di came with the conviction that regardless, he loved Jan Di too much to let go — if, IF that happened, he would let her go as long as she was happy and he would stay by her side, as a friend if not a lover. He told himself he would be content as long as she was happy.

After all, wasn't that what firefighters were for?

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In lavish office not far from where the F3 were, Madame Kang looked out at the view contemplatatively.

"It is done Madam." Secretary Park said in a soft voice as he closed the door behind him. "The young masters and Miss Geum are scheduled to fly back to Seoul tomorrow."

She nodded and dismissed him.

As soon as he left the room, Madam Kang picked up the telephone. The final phase of her plan to get rid of Geum Jan Di was ready to be set in motion — and Secretary Park whom she suspected had some sort of sympathy for the commoner did not need to know. She had other resources to carry out this part of her plan.

Xxxxxxxxx

Author's Note: Thank you to JHsgf82, Novembershowers, Akuryo, Pnwer and angee818323. I came late into this fandom and I just enjoy playing with the characters. Your own writing has inspired me to get back to fanfiction. I am currently in Paris on vacation and reading FF during long rides on the metro — this city has inspired this story too.

Please pardon the typos, I am writing on my iPad and it's a bit difficult.

Also — standard disclaimer, I do not own anything other than my overactive imagination.


	4. Chapter 4 The Little Prince

Chapter 4

The Little Prince

Ji Hoo tried to shut the suite's door as softly as possible, afraid that the sound would carry into Jan Di's room and wake her if she were asleep. The room was dark but as the suite's heavy door clicked into place, the door to one of the rooms opened and he saw Jan Di's silhouette in the sliver of light – he glanced at his watch, it was a quarter to eleven, almost the middle of the night.

"I'm sorry little Otter. Did I wake you?" Ji Hoo asked gently, walking across the dimly lit room towards her.

"No, no Sunbae…" she said walking towards him. "I was…waiting for you."

Suddenly, she was standing face to face with him, so close that he could feel the warmth seeping from her, the sweet fan of her breath on his cheeks – her lips were so close to his own that if he simply leaned in a few millimetres towards…and then suddenly, he felt her lips on his.

At first he was too shocked to react and simply froze, then as he realised this was really happening — she was really here – kissing him – his heart took over and he kissed her back with all the passion he had been holding in for days and months — no, years.

She was intoxicated.

She could not explain why she had kissed him. Years later – she would look back on that act and realise that that had been the bravest she had ever been. But also, the one, most purely selfish act she had ever committed.

Kissing him was nothing like she had ever experienced before. It was as if they had fallen into a time and place where only they existed. And nothing could hurt her because she was home.

Her lips were so soft and as they parted, he deepened the kiss gently, afraid that she would be frightened off and would pull away. But instead, her arms tightened ever so slightly against his neck and she sighed into his mouth, opening to him. The young man felt exhilaration rush through him, so finally let go of his fears and kissed her as he had always wanted to. Her small hands so gently tangled into his hair and his arms tightened around her waist pulling her even closer to him. He could feel her warmth seeping through their thin clothing and his mind clouded with desire.

He was intoxicated.

He would never be able to fully describe how euphoric he felt at that moment. Years later – he would think back on that moment and think that that was the first time in his entire life that he had felt true happiness- because finally he did not feel so alone. But also, that that was the one most purely selfish thing he had ever done.

Jo Hoo would not have been able to say how long they held each other, only that they kissed until the need to breathe forced their lips apart. He paused and rested his forehead on hers but did not let go of her. He looked down and saw that her eyes were closed and tears were sliding softly down her cheeks.

Suddenly, the euphoria was ripped apart by fear —- was she sorry? Did she mistake him for Jun Pyo? Did she regret the kiss? Would she tell him it was just a mistake?

He lifted his own head and tilted her chin up, her lashes fluttered (and he held his breath, afraid he would see regret in her eyes) and she looked up into his. But all he saw was wonder.

And suddenly he could breathe again.

"Whatever happens after this and whatever happened tonight…I wanted you to know..I mean..it's not that this is…" She stuttered and stopped, composing herself.

"I meant it." Jan Di finally said. "The kiss…I meant it."

He began to respond – to tell her that he loved her, that he had never stopped loving her – but also to ask her why - but she laid a finger softly on his lips. "I have a favor…may I ask you for something Sunbae? I know...you have done so much for me already but…"

"Anything." Ji Hoo replied, but deep inside he feared the worst. That she would ask him to take her to Jun Pyo..

"Could you…may I have this one night?" She asked, her voice so soft he could barely hear it above his own erratic heartbeat that seemed so loud in his ears. "I just want time with you." Jan Di said, afraid he would misunderstand.

"Can you take me somewhere?" She asked him. He smiled, remembering her asking him for the same thing before.

Ji Hoo left her briefly, and returned carrying of all things, his violin case. It was strange, now that he thought about it – but during the almost frantic moments when he was haphazardly packing, having made the decision to come to Macau, after finding out from Yi Jeong (who had somehow wheedled the information out of Chu Ga Eul) that Jan Di planned to fly to Macau – that his violin was one of the first things he grabbed. He got strange looks from Yi Jeong and a bewildered "What's up with the violin bro? You gonna hit Jun Pyo with it?" From a sarcastic Woo Bin. But now he was glad he brought it.

Coming out of his room, Ji Hoo simply held out his hand to her and led her out of the room.

It was close to midnight but the rain had stopped and the stars were out. They were quiet as they stepped out into the driveway of the hotel, and because he was, after all, Yoon Ji Hoo, a dark, luxurious town car was waiting for them and pulled up to carry them away as soon as they stepped out of the door. Ji Hoo opened the rear door and handed Jan Di in before getting into the car from the other side.

"Where to sir?" the driver asked as soon as Ji Hoo shut the door

"The Kwan Yin monument please." Ji Hoo responded.

Jan Di looked at him with a question in her eyes but he just pulled her closely to him and sat back for the short trip.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The town car slid to a silent stop before a short bridge along the Macau harbor. Towering over them was a huge statue of a Goddess, gleaming in the starlight.

At this time of the night, there were no other people at the monument and and taking her small hand in his, Ji Hoo led Jan Di down the bridge to look out at the water. The water was calm and beautiful, and the night was quiet – the crowds of tourists gone for the day. On one side, they could see the lights of downtown Macau but not hear the cacophony of noise. On the other side, they could see the darkness of the water, the starlight reflecting on the little waves and hear the sound of the water crashing against the shore.

The monument was closed, it being so late and there was really nowhere to sit. Ji Hoo took off his jacket and laid it on the tiled floor, gently pulling Jan Di down to sit next to him. She hesitated at first, afraid to ruin his beautiful coat but Ji Hoo just grinned and shook his head, pulling her hand firmly so that she had no choice but to sit or lose her balance.

"It's so nice here." Jan Di said, feeling as if the wind and the waves were sweeping away the residue sadness bit by bit the longer she sat here with this beautiful man.

"I thought you would like it Otter." Ji Hoo smiled, turning slightly towards her "It's close to your natural habitat after all."

He finally earned her first genuine smile of the day. It was small, a slight turning up of the corners of her lips, but it was there.

She let go of a deep sigh.

"It feels like it's been years since I woke up this morning…"Jan Di said, struggling to begin what she wanted to say. "Is that possible Sunbae? That I'm so different from who I was this morning? That I feel so different? Like I'm free?" She asked.

He paused, trying to choose his words carefully.

"I think that when something terrible, or frightening or even something wonderful happens – it's bound to change you." Ji Hoo paused, thinking of all the things that HE had gone through himself and how it had changed him. But he stopped, wanting to listen to her rather than to speak his own thoughts. His mind still struggled to get beyond her kiss and he was afraid to say anything that may burst the bubble of happiness that he was (cautiously) growing in his heart.

"Do you know who Kwan Yin is?" He asked her. "Sailors used to pray to her to save them from storms, she's supposed to be the goddess of mercy and hope."

Jan Di gave a little nod and smile. "I think I need her help now."

"In my mind, when I came here…I didn't really think of it ending this way." Jan Di said, looking far out into the sea.

"I never accounted for the possibility that he would hate me…you know? I always thought we would get back together…like all those other times. But maybe, this was what I needed to start moving on. If he had been the slightest bit kind..nice..I would have gone on hoping." She explained. "And really Sunbae, I gave this relationship everything I could — but…but is it fair when I'm the only one trying?"

He just held her closer until she pulled away, got up and leaned against the railing, looking out to the sea.

"I don't have anything left to give him you see." Jan Di continued. "And even if I did want to give him more, I don't think he wants it anyway….and Sunbae…" she said, finally turning around, "I'm so very tired. I just want to let it go. I've decided to let it go. I tried my best and isn't that all that anyone could be expected to do? Was that wrong of me? To give up?"

It would have been the perfect opening to denigrate Jun Pyo. To tell Jan Di how horrible a person he was and how she was well rid of him. Part of him wanted to say something but the other part, Jun Pyo's friend and Jan Di's firefighter knew whatever he said would be unfair — and he wanted to win her love fair and square, not because he influenced with her unfair words when she was sad but because he showed her with his actions that he was the one for her.

He thought she would be crying — but instead, her eyes, though sad, were clear. She pushed back from the railing and came to sit next to him again.

Ji Hoo took out his violin and softly started drawing his bow across the strings, the clear tones carrying through the quiet night.

Jan Di sat next to him — in those early days of her new love for Ji Hoo, before Jun Pyo had come charging into her life, she had often dreamt of this — just sitting next to Ji Hoo and listening to him play his violin. Jan Di felt the last vestiges of her anger leaving her, and in its place, an ineffable sadness and regret for something precious that was lost — because, she thought, weren't endings of any kind always sad? They were supposed to be sad. Because even if they were over, one could never deny that they had happened.

She knew instinctively that this sadness would never completely leave her, because she would never again be the girl she was. For better or worse, her past with Gu Jun Pyo had altered her – but it was what it was – the past. And looking up at the massive statue of Kwan Yin towering above them, Jan Di felt a stirring of what she thought could only be — hope.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Looking at Ji Hoo in the moonlight, Jan Di was struck again by how beautiful he was and how peaceful he made her feel. Suddenly feeling as if she needed to capture this image, not just in her heart and mind, Jan Di remembered the little sketch pad she always kept in her bag and took it out. As if her fingers were possessed, she started drawing him, the pencil flying over the small pieces of paper, etching his likeness, the sweep of his golden hair, his gentle hands cradling the violin, the curve of his face.

Unaware that the song had ended, Jan Di finished her last sketch realising she had already completed two other ones — she looked up to see Ji Hoo smiling at her.

"So am I your model on top of being your personal musician and firefighter now?" Ji Hoo asked.

"May I?" Ji Hoo asked, holding out his hand for the sketches.

Jan Di hesitated but eventually nodded and handed the three small sketches to him, a bit nervous. She always loved to sketch and paint (on the rare occasions she had money to buy art materials but her parents had never encouraged it. They were starving enough already they said, no need to aspire to being a starving artist). She had never really shown anyone outside her family her art before, not even Jun Pyo or Ga Eul.

Ji Hoo looked at the sketches and a smile started to grow on his face, even in the dim glow from the few overhead lights, he could tell they were quite good — even discounting the fact that SHE had drawn HIM and that alone made them masterpieces in his eyes. He looked up from the one he was currently looking at, a study of him playing his violin, in the sketch, his face was turned slightly away and his hair partly covering his face but anyone who knew him would recognise who it was.

"Sorry Sunbae..they're uh..not very good…" Jan Di stammered reaching over, trying to take the sketches out of his hands.

Ji Hoo held them away from her.

"They're wonderful Otter…I don't think I look this good in real life though...I think you took too many artistic liberties." he said, smiling widely at her.

The thing about Ji Hoo, Jan Di realised, he had this smile that could make time stop for her. He usually looked so solemn and serious, but then a smile would break out — it was like the sun starting to rise and get brighter and brighter until it filled the entire horizon and it was all you could look at.

"Yah! It's not nice to make fun of me you know!" Jan Di retorted, unable to do anything but smile back. Seriously? He thought they were good? She had been to his house and had seen the original art on his walls, some of them from famous western artists that she was afraid to even breathe near the paintings for fear she would somehow damage them. Ji Hoo's family after all, owned an arts foundation and a museum among other things, and he had been exposed to only the best art since an early age.

She remembered asking him about a beautiful painting in his room once, it was a fairly small canvass of a ballerina sitting on the floor tying the ribbons on her ballet shoe — he told her his parents had bought it at an auction in Europe and that their curators were still trying to authenticate it but it was supposed to have been painted by Degas. Her eyes had nearly popped out of her head, even she knew who he was. "Uhm Sunbae…shouldn't she be in your museum" she had asked him at the time. "Hmmm. I just moved her here a few weeks ago, I like the way she looks so intent and serious about what she's doing." He had replied and she just had to shake her head at the antics of these rich chaebols, not knowing that in his mind, Ji Hoo had thought, "…she reminds me of you."

"No Otter. Seriously, it's very good." Ji Hoo's voice brought her back from her reverie. "So good in fact that I've decided to keep them as my talent fee."

"You can't have all…I mean, they're really just not…" Jan Di argued. In actuality, she had wanted to keep them for herself, to remind her of this night, and how her firefighter had saved her yet again.

"Ok you can have one back. Two are mine – one for modelling and one for the music." Ji Hoo compromised. "But you'll have to buy the other back from me."

"Buy it back?" Jan Di protested. "But they're mine to start with!"

Pretending to consider it, Ji Hoo said "Ok you drive a hard bargain. Tell you what, since I'm so nice, I'll let you pick which one you can buy back."

She leaned back slightly and smiled, the first real, full smile he had seen that night and Ji Hoo felt elated.

"Ok then….I pick this one." She responded, reaching out to take the one from the bottom of the pile. It had been her first sketch that night, and to her mind, the least of the three, the third one on top almost identical but much more refined and finished.

"You haven't paid me yet." Ji Hoo said, pulling the sketches back.

"And how much do you want for it?" She asked leaning over, still attempting to grab the sketches back from him.

"Hmmm…I'm not sure you would be willing to pay what I want for it." He replied, a smile still playing on his lips. It had been a long, stressful, emotional and tiring day — yet, here they were sitting on cold, slightly damp cement, in the middle of an abandoned monument in a sleeping city and Ji Hoo realised, that well..he was happy. And more miraculously, that she seemed happy too.

"Sunbae….please?" She pouted. (This is dangerous he thought. I hope she never realises how powerful that weapon is.)

"A kiss." He replied.

She cocked her head to the side and a blush crept up her face softly.

He chuckled, about to say he was only joking.

But then.

But then, she leaned closer to him and placed a small, soft kiss on his lips.

And Ji Hoo pulled her in the rest of the way and held her close, almost as close as he had always dreamed he would if he could.

She was so soft. And he felt complete.

He was so gentle. And she felt comforted by the warm of his arms, the feel of the soft chambray of his shirt against her cheek.

"I am afraid of the morning, little Otter." After long moments, he finally spoke.

She looked up at him, not moving from his arms although they tightened almost imperceptibly around her nonetheless, as if he were afraid she would slip away.

"I'm afraid that I dreamt all of this and that I'll wake up in the stairwell, alone again and you will walk in to tell me how happy you were with Ju…" he began again only to be interrupted by her. Jan Di held her finger against his lips and he kissed it, causing her to shiver and her heart to race.

"Then we are both dreaming." She said.

"All I ever wanted…all I ever want is to see you happy." Ji Hoo said, trying to explain what was in his heart. Knowing he had to say the words, even if they meant he had to give up this short, sweet moment. "…even if it means that you will return to Jun Pyo someday."

Jan Di prised herself out of his arms and knelt before him. Front his vantage point, they were at eye level and she could feel herself drowning in the rich caramel pools of his eyes. "I am happy now Sunbae." She said. "And whatever happens, if when we go back to Seoul and all this is disappears — I promise it's not going to be because of him or because I love…loved him. Because I realise that…that I DID love him, but for the last year, I was loving a memory, a hope of what he could be, what I thought he was. And I just needed today to see that that doesn't exist anymore. That maybe…maybe I should have looked closer to me to se what was real and what was there…"

"It's ok Jan Di..you don't have to promise me anything." Ji Hoo said, voicing the fear that had been sitting at the back of his mind, even in these moments where he was happy. "All I ever wanted was you — and…"

"You…have...you have me." Jan Di said and she leaned forward and kissed him again.

"It's almost dawn my Otter. Do you want to go back to the hotel?" He asked her, hoping she would say no so that he could stretch this night out as long as he could.

"No, Sunbae...can we maybe stay here a little bit more?" Jan Di asked. (In truth he would probably have tried to buy the entire damn monument of she had said that was what she wanted...)

With a happy smile, Ji Hoo carefully put the sketches away and then pulled her back into his arms and leaned back. For the first time in his short, overly indulged yet lonely life, the little boy who had everything finally DID have everything he needed to be happy, wrapped in his arms in a threadbare denim jacket that had seen much better days.

And in his violin case, carefully tucked in with an old photograph of a smiling couple and their little prince, lay a sketch of a once lonely young man and his violin.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Author's note: The Kwan Yin monument really exists on Macau island. It has a beautiful view of the harbor and at night, is beautifully lit up.

The scene in BOF where Jan DI sketches Ji Hoo when she thinks he is asleep has always been one of my favourites. And I often wondered why they never really explored that side of Jan Di in the series.

BTW, I own nothing blah blah blah (insert usual disclaimer) except for my malfunctioning keyboard — so please pardon any typos.

Thank you again to my reviewers — you are all awesome – and Akuryo read my mind.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I would like to add photos of the locations where I set the story but am not quite sure how. Suggestions are very welcome as most will be personal photos I've taken.


	5. Chapter 5 - Jack in the Box

Chapter 5

Author's Note : This is going to be short and sweet — because the sun is out and I needed some fluff. So enjoy it like you would a sorbet between two heavy courses in a tasting menu – because it will get angst-y from here. (Don't kill me — I do try to not be a little raincloud all the time – but I think I was Wednesday Adams in a past life).

Also apologies for my past errors – I made mention of a long flight from Seoul to Macau and realised int's only a little over 3 hours. And also, still working on the cranky keyboard attached to my iPad so sorry for the inevitable typos.

As usual, I own nothing BOF related, have no intent to infringe copyright — I only like to play in the sandbox sometimes.

PS : Thanks again for the reviews — my little fan girl heart is so tickled pink that authors whose work I admire are reading my story too.

It was Saturday afternoon so the airport was relatively empty – the crowds were still in Macau for the weekend, nonetheless, there was still a relatively long line at the check in counters to the flight to Seoul. As they entered the airline check-in area, Jan Di started to walk towards the queue when Yi Jeong suddenly took her arm and started leading her to the first class line.

"Uhmmm Yi Jeong Sunbae? What are you doing?" Jan Di asked looking around for Yoon Ji Hoo. She saw him still outside the terminal doors speaking to his driver.

Yi Jeong ignored her and signalled the porter to follow him with the bags towards the empty line in front of the First Class check in. "I don't think I'm allowed in that line." Jan Di said trailing after him and attempting to dodge the carts full of mostly Yi Jeong and Woo Bin's luggage.

("How much clothing did these boys need for a short trip?" Jan DI thought incredulously. Actually, Ji Hoo was almost as bad – but knowing them, they probably didn't do such mundane things as weighing their luggage…heck, they probably didn't even pack their own luggage she mused.)

"You will be when I'm done changing your flight, so please give me your passport and ticket." Yi Jeong responded. "Ji Hoo won't fly first class unless you're there too and if he sits in coach, Woo Bin and I will look like assholes if we don't keep you guys company. He was so pissed when we couldn't get on your outbound flight coming here."

"Please please please don't make me sit in coach." YI Jeong explained deciding to unleash his very considerable charms all at once.

Unfortunately, the Weed seemed immune to the smile and the doe eyes and the pouting...

"Don't you flash those dimples at me So Yi Jeong!" Jan Di argued. "I can't afford it and I'm not taking your money!"

Woo Bin jumped in to help and finally convinced her that changing her seat was not a problem — "After all, Ji Hoo's family owns…" a sharp jab in his side from Ji Hoo's elbow stopped Woo Bin mid-sentence, glancing at his stoic friend who had finally joined them, Woo Bin saw Ji Hoo shooting him a dirty look.

Of all of them, Ji Hoo was the only one who was uncomfortable about displaying or even having someone else talk about his family's wealth. Jun Pyo on the other hand, reveled in flaunting how rich and powerful the Gu family was. As for Woo Bin and Yi Jeong, money was something they had always had, it was neither here nor there, just something to use when they needed it — in whatever quantities they needed it and they never really thought about it. It was only after meeting Jan Di and her friend Chu Ga Eul that Woo Bin realised how much he took his wealth for granted. Ah these troublesome girls. Cute. But definitely troublesome.

"Uhmmm..what he meant was…that Ji Hoo's family has a lot of unused air miles — you know from all those business trips their executives take — we're just going to use some of the points to upgrade your seat — the points would just expire anyway. It's practically free!" Yi Jeong explained as Jan Di, who did not buy his glib explanation, was protesting that she was fine in her economy class seat and didn't need to sit in first class with them. Ji Hoo gave him a grateful look.

"Would we lie to you Jan Di-ssi?" Yi Jeong asked, again flashing the legendary So dimples.

(Yoon Ji Hoo had to smile at his friends' antics."Dude, you owe me one." Yi Jeong's answering smirk seemed to say)

Meanwhile, to forestall any further arguments, Ji Hoo took Jan Di's passport and ticket and handed it over to the lady at the check-in counter. She was almost comical in her eagerness to please.

"I'm so very sorry Mr. Yoon — no one advised us you would be on this flight…we could have arranged all this from your hotel so you didn't have to line up." The ground staff manager said.

"It's fine." Ji Hoo said, uncomfortable with the attention.

"And would you like to pick your seat?" She asked moving out from behind the counter with a tablet, getting extremely close to Yoon Ji Hoo as she showed him the seating plan (and incidentally, her impressive cleavage). "Would you prefer a window or aisle seat? And I can arrange for your carry on to be taken directly to the plane so you don't need to carry it around?" Her hand closed over his hand carrying the violin case. "My name is Chin-sun and f you need anything I would be very happy to help."

Jan Di's eyes narrowed and then dimmed. The young lady was very pretty and wore the tight airline uniform well, she was impeccably made-up and coiffed, perhaps they had a minimum looks requirement for these airline girls? (She wondered as she compared her dowdy self to the young woman who seemed almost about to jump into Yoon Ji Hoo's arms already, as close as she was to him).

Ji Hoo felt eyes on him and looked up to see Jan Di watching, she blushed and looked away, suddenly seeming very interested in what Woo Bin started to whisper to her. Yoon Ji Hoo felt irritated – at the airline staff's unnecessary proximity to him, but more so at how close Woo Bin seemed to be standing to Jan Di.

"Anywhere is fine Miss…Miss Park" he responded, glancing at her name tag and ignoring her offer of her first name. He then looked at Jan Di, making sure Miss Park followed his gaze, "I really don't care which seat, just make sure Miss Geum is in the seat next to mine." Ji Hoo said, moving away very abruptly, removing her hand from his.

"Don't be jealous Wonder Girl…" Woo Bin was at that very moment whispering to Jan Di "See that? Our Ji Hoo normally just ignores his fan girls, it's the first time I've actually seen himself shoot one down so directly."

Woo Bin tried to hide a laugh at the dirty glares Ji Hoo was shooting at him. He very slowly and deliberately draped his arm around Jan Di's shoulders. "I've never seen Ji Hoo this way. The boy is like a jack in the box — so full of surprises today.." Woo Bin continued to whisper to her. "He looks like he's coming over to kill me…wonder what he'd do if I tried to kiss you?" Woo Bin joked. Jan Di looked up at him in slight alarm, prepared to jump back if he tried it — you could never really be sure what Woo Bin and his mischievous sense of Humor would come up with..

Before she could respond, Ji Hoo had crossed the short distance between them and very smoothly inserted himself between Jan Di and Woo Bin, not so subtly removing Woo Bin's erring arm from Jan Di's shoulders.

"Just keeping our Jan Di warm bro." Woo Bin said with an unapologetic smirk.

Jan Di had to stifle a laugh, Yoon Ji Hoo was pouting and Woo Bin was grinning like the kid who stole the last cookie — in short, the two men looked like they were 5 year old boys.

"It's not cold." Ji Hoo retorted and turning Jan Di around by her shoulders, started walking off to the first Class lounge leaving a snickering Woo Bin and Yi Jeong to follow.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

As they were walking to the First Class lounge, Ji Hoo noticed Jan Di glancing interestedly at a booth set up along the terminal, it was an advertising booth for Ocean Park in Hong Kong decorated with souvenirs. "Next time we're here we can go to Hong Kong, it's a short ferry ride. I think you'd have fun in Ocean Park."

Jan Di just smiled, thinking that the trip would never happen as she could probably never afford another trip away from Seoul. Still, it was a nice dream.

"Hey Yi Jeong – do you guys mind going ahead and escorting Jan Di to the lounge? I'll meet you over there." Ji Hoo suddenly said a few minutes later "I forgot something at the check in counter."

"Uhh…sure bro." Woo Bin responded, ("What is he up to now?" He thought) exchanging a quizzical look with Yi Jeong, they had left the check in counter after the couple and couldn't recall anything left behind. But used to Ji Hoo's sometimes strange ways, the two just shrugged and taking the handle of Jan Di's carry on, started pulling her away in the direction of the lounge.

"So Jan Di-yah, did our Ji Hoo ever tell you about that time in the fifth grade when he tried to..." Woo Bin started to speak with a naughty grin, determined to annoy Yoon Ji Hoo.

"Yah! Woo Bin!" Ji Hoo tossed over his shoulder as he was walking off "I can still hear you, you know!"

Yi Jeong, Woo Bin and Jan Di just laughed as they started walking the other way.

Meanwhile, Yoon Ji Hoo sped up as he walked back the way they came, making a brief stop at the Ocean Park booth where the staff tried (and failed) to explain to him that everything was only for display, and then heading to the duty free shops.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ji Hoo watched amusedly as Jan Di looked curiously around the first class cabin.

(She had never been in First Class before — in fact, she had never been on an airplane before this trip.).

He realised he took a lot of it for granted, the few times he did travel it was always this way or in one of the company jets – if not his family's, then probably one of Jun Pyo's or the other two. In fact, Jun Pyo and Woo Bin were constantly bickering over who had the better jet — not that he cared personally, he mostly slept through all flights anyway.

Ji Hoo reached over and tightened Jan Di's seatbelt, she smiled up at him and he suddenly wished he had brought the damned private plane.

Too many people on this flight… (Although actually, it was just him, F2, Jan Di and an older gentleman seated three rows ahead of them.)

(But much as he wanted to kiss her, he didn't want an audience for the WAY he wanted to kiss her so he settled for grabbing her hand as he crossed his arms over his chest, holding it close to his heart)

"It will take about three hours to get home Jan Di-yah, why don't you take a nap?" He asked, settling down more comfortably and reclining her seat for her so that it would be at level with his. (His of course, was already reclined courtesy of the very attentive flight attendant).

"You and your naps…" Jan Di teased, squeezing his hand. "Ok, I will but…"

"But what?"

"Can I have your pillow?" She asked shyly. She thought the pillows were quite comfortable.

(She didn't remember seeing them in coach on her flight over. But then again, she hadn't been on the same flight as F3, having secretly booked her flight and not told them – embarrassed that all she could afford was the cheapest seat on the flight with the ungodly schedule)

"Did you need something to hug?" Yoon Ji Hoo teased "You could hug me." He offered with a small smile, lifting the armrest between them and pulling her closer.

(Meanwhile in seats across the aisle, Woo Bin and Yi Jeong exchanged amused glances…the poor boy really needed lessons from the resident ladies men…tsk tsk..so uncool this Yoon Ji Hoo)

Jan Di shook her head at him, a little embarrassed, turning pink — but not moving away.

("Damn…that worked. How could that possibly work? So cheesy!" Woo Bin thought to himself

"Ok then…" Ji Hoo said. He then stood up and took something out of the overhead bin before returning to his place next to Jan Di. "You could hug this instead if you want." Ji Hoo said holding out a small package to Jan Di.

Jan Di opened the distinctively blue gift bag, and found a small stuffed otter inside — with a silver bracelet around its neck like a collar, carrying a small heart shaped charm engraved with the words "Be Mine"

("Tiffany. Nice." Yi Jeong thought. "Good job Ji Hoo!")

"Do you like him?" Ji Hoo asked Jan Di.

(Ji Hoo fervently hoped she would — that was one expensive otter — considering that he had had to argue, beg and eventually bribe the people at the Ocean Park booth who had stubbornly refused to sell him the little toy).

"I love him." Jan Di said, cuddling the toy and then carefully clipping him to the strap of her purse.

(The only otter they had, and he was a slightly oversized keychain — but hey, Ji Hoo thought, what was a guy to do?).

"But he's a bit too little to hug…"Jan Di said and without another word, she decided to hug him instead. Ji Hoo smiled again and kissed the top of her head. "Did you like the bracelet too?" He asked her quietly.

He felt her nod against his shoulder, snuggling in a bit more closely.

"So will you?" He asked her quietly, whispering the words into her soft, soft hair "Be mine?"

Again he felt her nod against his shoulder and felt through the cloth of his sleeve, a small kiss.

Life was good. Very good.

And Ji Hoo settled down for a nap.

Unaware to the peaceful couple, that across the aisle, Woo Bin and Yi Jeong exchanged looks, stifled their laughter and thought that perhaps their tutorial services would NOT be required after all.

"Well damn…" Woo Bin thought. "Who would have thought our resident four dimensional alien was so smooth?" He chuckled to himself amusedly, and then stopped — he wondered how Ji Hoo felt – how it felt to love someone that much — and he wondered when or if he would ever feel that way himself.


	6. Chapter 6 Along Came A Spider

Author's Note : Apologies for any confusion, I realised a few chapters in that I mistakenly duplicated the title to someone else's story, hence the change. No infringement was intended and my very sincere apologies again to the author of the original "Not Quite The Fairy Tale".

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Boys Over Flowers, but I wish I could borrow Kim Hyun Joong for a weekend.

Chapter 6

Along Came A Spider

Jan Di and Ji Hoo slept like babies through the flight and as soon as the plane landed at Incheon, a uniformed immigration official came on board and escorted the group to a small yet comfortably furnished room. "Kindly wait here Young Master" he addressed Yoon Ji Hoo who had collected the other three's respective passports and handed them over along with his own.

"Are we in trouble Sunbae?" Jan Di whispered, instinctively moving closer to Ji Hoo and clutching the nearest arm. She couldn't recall having done anything wrong, but part of her was worried that maybe Gu Jun Pyo's mother was somehow up to something again. She was a novice traveler and dealing with the bureaucracy made her nervous.

Ji Hoo's lip twitched, partly because he was amused by her surprise (was everything she did always going to be cute to him he wondered), but mostly because he felt a little jolt of happiness that Jan Di would instinctively turn to him if she was scared. He was about to respond when Woo Bin beat him to the punch.

"Don't worry Wonder Girl" he explained, ignoring Ji Hoo's pointed looks for him to shut up. "It's the benefit of travelling with Yoon Ji Hoo…we get to skip lining up with the herd."

Ji Hoo frowned – he never asked for this treatment but assumed that the airline (which coincidentally, his family corporation owned majority shares of stock in) must have alerted immigration he was on board. He certainly would have personally preferred to fly in under the radar, but that was impossible when travelling with any of the other three.

"Perks of being the ex-president's grandson…" Yi Jeong explained.

"Yah, this is the only reason why Yi Jeong and I bring him along…it's certainly not for his conversational skills since he usually sleeps through the whole flight…." Woo Bin quipped, stretching and sitting down in one of the sofas in the VIP room.

Barely had Woo Bin settled down when the door opened again and the same smiling officer came in. "Here you are Young Masters, all done. I understand your luggage has been cleared through customs as well and should be waiting for you at the arrivals terminal with a representative of the airline." The officer bowed and handed over their documents.

Yoon Ji Hoo returned the man's bow and took the stack of passports and handed them over to the rest, then turning to Jan Di put his arm around her shoulders and began to usher her out of the room without waiting for F2.

"Aish…what happened to bros before hoes?" Woo Bin muttered. "Dude falls in love and we fall by the wayside…geez"

"Yah! Woo Bin-ah, I can still hear you, you know!" Ji Hoo threw over his shoulder, still walking away, Jan Di firmly held at his side.

Yi Jeong sniggered and started following the two, discreetly exchanging a high five with Woo Bin. This new Ji Hoo was quite amusing to tease, he thought. Whatever else the Wonder Girl was, she certainly made life more interesting.

Meanwhile, Woo Bin wondered if Jan Di had any sisters…or friends? And then two seconds later, he shuddered and reminded himself to maintain a safe distance. If she could transform their 4 dimensional alien this much, it was scary to think what more she could accomplish if she set her mind to it….would be best to fly under the radar. God forbid she try to…reform him maybe? Perish the thought.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Mwo??!!! Mworago?!!" Geum Go Hee screamed shrilly. "What do you mean he broke up with you?!! This is terrible….terrible!!" She wailed as Guem Il Bong vainly tried to comfort her.

Jan Di flinched at her mother's histrionics. She was not the first girl to get dumped. And certainly, her mother had been overstepping herself with dreams of the wealth and riches Jan Di's supposed marriage to the heir of Shinwha would bring when no engagement existed.

"Omeoni! Stop! You shouldn't have been putting all your hopes into me marrying a rich boy in the first place!" Jan Di argued.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp sting on her cheek as her mother slapped her. Jan Di's eyes watered, her mother was loud, yes. And frequently, she nagged. But she had never struck her before.

"You don't understand!" Geum Go Hee shouted "We're ruined! Ruined!" She wailed. "Omo! Omo! What are we going to do?!"

"Jagiya…calm down…" Geum Il Bong tried to pacify her but Guem Go Hee, instead of quieting down, turned to him with a very angry grimace and started hitting him with closed fists.

"You!" She shouted, continuing to rain blows on her husband, "This is all your fault! Your fault! What are we going to do?!"

"Appa?" Jan Di finally asked her father. She was very worried and afraid now — even for her hysterical mother, this outburst seemed more serious than usual.

A shamefaced Il Bong turned from his wife to face his daughter. "Jan Di-yah…my daughter…." He stuttered, struggling with words before he broke down and started sobbing, falling to his knees on the floor. "I got into gambling debts again…" he mumbled. "Mianhae…mianhae.."

Jan Di felt a chill run through her as she looked around their small house. It wasn't much — a three room affair in a dilapidated building over her father's dry cleaning store. It seemed — emptier and colder than usual. And then she realised that the house was emptier than it had been – there were areas where the tatami mats were less faded, looking forlorn with rings of dust outlining the old pieces of rundown furniture and outdated appliances that had previously stood in their place.

"Your babo father has sold us into the poor house!" Guem Go Hee sneered. "The debt collectors were here yesterday — they only let us stay in this house because I promised them we would find the money in a week – if we don't then they kick us out." She had calmed down a little, but the anger and bitterness was still very evident in her stance and in the acid dripping from every word.

"A…a week?" Jan Di asked, the wheels tumbling all over themselves in her head. "What are we going to do?"

"We have to find a way to pay them — I don't know what happened — even the bank suddenly called in the mortgage on our loans — we've been late with payments before and they've always given us a few days to make up the balance — but this time, they refused…" Il Bong explained, wringing his hands.

A cold chill ran through Jan Di — she knew that even if she took on ten additional jobs, she would never earn enough in a week to even scratch the surface of their bank loan and she did not even have any idea how much her father owed in gambling debts.

"You have to help us Jan Di-yah." Her mother begged, going down on her knees before Jan Di. "Can't you ask your other F4 friends for help? We're desperate!! What are we going to do?!" Go Hee started crying again while a shamefaced Il Bong tried to comfort her.

Jan DI felt her eyes drawn to her little brother who had been sitting quietly in the corner throughout the whole exchange. He was only 8 years, certainly not old enough to have to deal with her parents' inept parenting. He looked peaked, as if he hadn't eaten in days and Jan Di realised she was cold, even with her winter coat still on. The old space heater they used to have in the corner was gone too – probably taken by the loan sharks as well. She saw Kang San shiver, and promised herself that she would find a way to help — he was just a little boy and if she had to sacrifice herself, it would be ok as long she could save him.

Jan Di had no idea how she was going to help, or where she would go but one thing was clear to her — she would not ask the F3 for help, she would rather beg in the streets than impose once again on Yoon Ji Hoo. She would NOT be that girl who needed saving all the time.

"I'll think of something…" Jan Di said, trying to reassure her parents. "But I need to go to school early tomorrow morning. Maybe we should just all rest."

"But you will right?" Go Hee insisted, clutching Jan Di's arm "You'll get money from your friends?"

Jan Di just shook her head and went to her room. Predictably, her furniture was gone too, all the was left was her meagre collection of clothing in a messy pile in the corner and the bedding on the cold floor.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Is everything done as I asked you?" Kang Hee Soo asked the man in front of her. He could have been anyone, so nondescript was he. And that's why he was so successful at what he did. Pressed to describe him, witnesses could only recall someone of medium build and height, with black hair, middle age. A pleasant face. Typical Korean male. He could be anyone. That was his strength.

"Yes Madam." He answered. "The ball is rolling – the Bank has called in all their loans and our, ahem…associates have called in on Guem Il Bong's gambling debts. It was too easy. The entire family will have to leave Seoul – there's nothing left for them here."

"Good." The stately woman replied, a satisfied smile gracing her beautiful but cold, malevolent face.

"The only thing left is for the girl to take the bait." The man said.

"There's no doubt she will — what other choice does she have?" Madame Kang smiled in satisfaction. "Just make sure that wherever she goes, she can't come back. Jun Pyo's engagement will be announced soon, I want her gone from Seoul before that happens."

"As you wish Madam." The man bowed and prepared to leave the room, but paused before he left the room. "Would you like to know how we achieve this? Shall I report to you?"

"I don't really care where you dump the garbage — just get it away from my family." Kang Hee Soo said, already starting to go through the pile of contracts on her desk. "And make sure it can't be traced to Shinwha — or else…" she looked up to give the man a meaningful glance. He swallowed nervously, clearly understanding the consequence for himself and his family if he failed, and with a bow, left the room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Stupid commoner — she probably couldn't afford train fare from their hovel to our school! That's probably why she missed classes the last few days."

"Yah! Didn't you hear? What I heard was that she went to Macau to stalk Gu Jun Pyo and he dumped her!"

"Really? I wonder how many men she had to sleep with to afford the plane ticket."

"And I bet he sent the police after her.. I saw in a picture in the papers of her at the airport with Yoon Ji Hoo Sunbae, there was a uniformed officer there escorting them out."

"So she's stalking Yoon Ji Hoo Sunbae now?"

"Well she's a slut you know — probably looking for her next sugar daddy.."

"I really don't know what they see in her — she's soooo common."

"Yah Ginger – maybe she's good in bed.."

Slipping quietly from the behind the pillar she had been hiding behind, Jan Di made her way to the stairwell, her sanctuary in this horrible place. Both Woo Bin and Yi Jeong had often and repeatedly tried to convince her to come to the F4 Lounge whenever she felt like it, that she was welcome there — but she had never felt comfortable invading their space, even though Gu Jun Pyo was gone. Yoo Ji Hoo of course had understood without need of explanation and had never pushed her. The stairwell had always been their special place, ever since the day she had rudely interrupted his nap as she vented out her frustration about F4's bullying ways.

Today she needed sanctuary more than ever.

The sniggering behind her back, the crass jokes about her being poor, and ugly and the aspersions on her morals were things she could have, on any other day, shrugged off but coupled with her family issues, Jan Di just needed a few moments of solace before she needed to head off to her evening shift at the porridge shop. She was hoping Yoon Ji Hoo would be there — just being around him made her feel calmer and braver. But for today, it seemed she was alone.

The stairwell was cold and Jan Di snuggled deeper into her blazer, wishing she had brought a warm jacket that morning — but she had been in a rush —- being honest with herself — to just get away from her irresponsible parents. Even the horror that was Shinwha Academy was a much more appealing prospect to her than the constant nagging of Go Hee who couldn't seem to understand why on earth Jan Di refused to ask Yoon Ji Hoo or the other F2 for money, she couldn't stand to see the shame and defeat in her father's eyes, he who seemed to have shrank overnight. And worse, she couldn't stand to see her little brother shivering from the cold in their frigid apartment after the gas company had turned off their heating.

The frigid air was seeping through her jacket and Jan Di decided that if Yoon Ji Hoo did not arrive in the next ten minutes, she would start walking to work. The exercise would keep her warm, and the money she saved on the fare would help, even just a little bit. The emotionally exhausted girl sank down on the lowest step and rested her head against the wall, maybe she had time for a quick nap — it was a 12 block walk to work after all and she had barely gotten any sleep the night before. She must have dozed off momentarily because the next thing she knew, she was surrounded by the scent of clean linen and green tea and some undefinable yet wonderful fragrance that could only be Yoon Ji Hoo and something warm wrapped around her cold shoulders.

"I see I'm rubbing off on you Little Otter."

She looked up to see Yoon Ji Hoo smiling at her, his coat around her shoulders.

"Sunbae! You're here!" She smiled delightedly.

(Her eyes were so incandescent when she smiled at him that he vowed that he would make sure that smile was meant only for him for the rest of his life.)

"Of course – I saw saw you slipping through the door, I just couldn't get to you in time." Yoon Ji Hoo sat down behind her a step up and pulled her closer, between his legs. She couldn't see his face — so although his tone was light, she did not see the small frown on his lips and the angry lines creased on this forehead.

Yoon Ji Hoo had turned the corner to see Jan Di slipping from her hiding place and had been able to catch the tail end of the disgusting comments from Jan Di's classmates. The bitching had died down as soon as they had seen him walking towards them and they had scattered like scared hens before an angry fox as he started to walk in their direction with a forbidding look, as if daring anyone to say one more thing. The look on his face was enough to scare them off — and perhaps Jan Di was safe, at least while they knew he was protecting her.

He was glad his arrival had distracted them from noticing that Jan Di had been hiding, and most especially, that she had slipped into the stairwell. He stayed only long enough to make sure that they were all gone before he entered the stairwell himself. His heart lurched when he saw her leaning tiredly against the wall, with only her school blazer to protect her from the cold.

"Having a tough day?" He asked hugging her from behind as she leaned against him.

"Yes." Jan Di responded, exhaling a deep sigh. "But better now that you're here Sunbae. My teachers weren't very understanding about why I missed school to "stalk" Gu Jun Pyo…so tons of missed work to make up and of course my charming classmates were there too…" she continued, not wanting to tell him about WHY she was really tired and upset.

"Are you sure that's all?" Ji Hoo asked gently.

He could tell, (he could always tell with her) that there was more. But he also never pushed her (She always eventually told him — when she was ready) because, more than anyone he best knew how, sometimes, you needed time to process your own thoughts and feelings before you sent them out into the world where they would be evaluated, labelled and judged. So he would wait. As he always did. Until she was ready. Because that's what firefighters did — they waited until the fires needed to be put out.

"There's just a lot going on Sunbae…" Jan Di replied evasively replied, hoping that she had distracted him with stories of the bullying. The bullying she knew he would understand that she could deal with on her own — but she knew if she even mentioned her family's finances' he would insist in intervening and she did not want to take a single won from him. She wouldn't cheapen their relationship or turn into a burden just because he was rich and willing to help. There was already so much inequity in their relationship that she didn't need to add more — and most of all, she would rather beg in the streets than ever make him think for one second that she was only with him for his money.

The two were quiet for a long while, just content to be close and together. Their silences were always comforting.

(For Jan Di, these moments were precious because there were never awkward moments or the constant bickering that were a hallmark of her and Jun Pyo's short lived relationship. For Yoon Ji Hoo, they were special because he could just BE. There was never the constant feeling of being on the edge of having to create excitement – to do something, be somewhere – that always tainted quiet moments with So Yi Jeong and Woo Bin.)

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Ji Hoo asked, dropping light kisses on her hair.

(He loved the smell of her hair, it always reminded him of springtime —strangely, even when she was still swimming and it smell faintly of chlorine.)

"Just being with you here helps a lot already Sunbae." Jan Di replied, leaning in closer. "But I can't take your jacket, you must be cold too." She shrugged off the warm, cashmere coat and turning around to face him, slipped it back over his shoulders.

"Anyway, I need to leave for work and it's a long walk – the exercise will keep me warm."

He pouted.

(Adorably, she thought. Did he know what he did to her – and possible every female within viewing distance - when he did that?)

"Are you leaving already?"

"Well…yes." She answered, trying (vainly) to slip out of his arms as he stood up and embraced her more tightly. "It's 12 blocks Sunbae! And I need to there in 40 minutes!" She insisted.

"I can get you there in 10." Ji Hoo said, lifting a hand and dangling his motorcycle keys in front of her.

"Thank you Sunbae…I really wasn't looking forward to walking in this cold." Jan Di smiled, relaxing back into his embrace.

"Hmm…so Jan Di-yah, I guess we'll need to find something to do for the next 30 minutes." Ji Hoo said with a mischievous smile. Jan Di looked at him curiously.

Then Ji Hoo opened his coat and pulled it over her, bringing her even closer to him, wrapping her in his embrace and right before she felt his lips on hers, Jan Di heard him murmur "Good thing I've got a really brilliant idea…"

And for the next few minutes, Jan Di allowed herself to get lost. To float away from irresponsible parents, bullying classmates, little brothers with tears in their eyes, and the overwhelming weight of the problem that felt like they were crushing her shoulders.

When their time together was up, Jan Di's lips were as swollen and as red as her wind bitten cheeks and Yoon Ji Hoo's hair (if anyone had been around to notice) was not in its usual impeccable state. Grabbing a spare jacket he kept at his closet in the F4 lounge, the two walked to his motorcycle.

"Hang on tight Otter." Ji Hoo said over his shoulder as Jan Di got on behind him and tentatively wrapped her arms around his torso.

He felt rather saw her nod and thinking how nice it felt to have her so close, he drove to the porridge shop.

"I'll call you tonight?" Ji Hoo asked as Jan Di was about to enter the shop. "I was trying this morning but I think you forgot to charge your phone Otter." He teased.

"Uhmmm..well, it got broken Sunbae..I need to get it fixed.. I'll just see you in school tomorrow." Jan Di stammered red faced.

(Actually, she had pawned her phone earlier that morning and with the money she hid from her mother, planned to visit Kang San's teacher to pay in advance for his school lunches — at least for a few days. It was old and didn't really bring much, but still, any little bit helped.)

"I still have the phone you used in Macau — I just need to find it somewhere in my house. Let me give it to you tomorrow." He responded. "I haven't actually unpacked yet.." he admitted somewhat sheepishly.

(Or to be more precise, he never unpacked at all — like everything in his house, his luggage would just disappear and everything would be back in its place the next day — courtesy of the very efficient and seemingly invisible staff that his Secretary maintained at his home.)

"Oh no Sunbae, that's ok —I commute so much that I would never carry a phone that expensive. I'll just wait for many old one to get fixed…anyway, I really need to go in.."

(In truth, she was afraid her mother would see the phone and try to pawn it too just as she had anything she could lay her hands on of any value in the house. Even her old phone hadn't been safe, it was just that she beat her mother to the punch by pawning it first.)

Jan Di gave Ji Hoo a quick wave and he turned his motorcycle around, riding off.

(What she really wanted to do was to kiss him goodbye but she was, still, uncomfortable with public displays of attention — knowing that a curious Ga Eul and Master were peering through the glass watching their every move.)

She watched him go, and like the tides leaving the shore, she felt the peace and comfort he always brought with him ebbing away the farther he got from her sight.

As for Yoon Ji Hoo, a strange, undefinable fear was nibbling at the corners of his mind and he worried for the girl who now owned his heart.

Author's Note : This chapter was getting way too long so I decided to split it into two. I guess we know who the spider is? Or do we? Couldn't resist the bit of fluff at the end though just because Jan Hoo are too cute. (I always thought Ji Hoo was a really flirty boy — he just hid it well — at least with Jan Di — so in this AU, I think I kind of let that boy loose a little bit more )

Anyway, enjoy and PM me if you have questions Or suggestions.

REVIEWS ARE LOVE

PS I can't remember the name of Jan Di's mum so I made it up he he. I am not Korean so I hope I didn't give her some horrifically awful name…


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Country Mouse

"Jan Di-yah!" Chu Ga Eul exclaimed, rushing to embrace her friend from the plate glass window in front of the porridge shop where she and their boss had been shamelessly watching the short yet somehow intimate leave taking between Jan Di and Yoon Ji Hoo.

Ga Eul was equal parts worried, confused and curious — ok, maybe the curiosity outweighed the other two emotions at this point. The last she had seen of Jan Di was a few days back, when she had seen her off at the airport bus stop, on her way to Macau to confront Gu Jun Pyo. Even then, she had had a really bad feeling about the trip but Jan Di would not be dissuaded. Jun Pyo had left her in limbo she said, and whatever else, however the trip ended, Jan Di was determined to get answers.

But…Yoon Ji Hoo? When did that happen? Ga Eul wondered, exchanging a secret smile with the Master. They were united in their preference for Jan DI's first love over her erstwhile boyfriend. Gu Jun Pyo was like a typhoon – the few times he had visited Jan Di at the porridge shop, he was like a hurricane, imperious, destructive, totally uncaring of whoever got in the way of what he wanted. It was not as if he was directly unpleasant to her or to the Master — it was more like he didn't really see them, they were just…there. Yoon Ji Hoo on the other hand, if not exactly warm and friendly, had always been unfailingly polite and quiet. If Gu Jun Pyo was a typhoon, Yoon Ji Hoo was like an afternoon wind on a summer afternoon – the kind that sort of just wove around you, not enough to ruffle your hair but just enough for you to know it was there and to feel better for the coolness it promised.

But Chu Ga Eul had always been perceptive and she was one of the few who knew Jan Di so well that she could read between the lines. Sometimes, Ga Eul could understand Geum Jan Di better than Jan Di could understand herself.

Ga Eul had never been convinced that Gu Jun Pyo was Jan Di's "one true love" — Jan Di was stubborn and when she set her mind on a course of action, she would not veer away, but she never really stopped too examine her motives. So in Ge Eul's mind, it wasn't that Jan DI was madly in love with Gun Pyo, it was more that having agreed to be in the relationship, she would make it work or die trying.

Ga Eul had actually often suspected that Jun Pyo was just a rebound – he had been so quick to jump in when Yoon Ji Hoo had left for Paris — she had never seen Jan Di truly happy in that relationship. It seemed to her that Jun Pyo's persistence had worn her down and once Jan Di committed, the challenge posed by the numerous obstacles thrown their way by Gu Jun Pyo's mother activated Jan Di's stubborn streak. Had she really been in love with him or was she just fighting so hard because she was determined to prove a point?

(When Jun Pyo had left for Macau, she had not seen the same deep sadness in Jan Di that she had seen when Ji Hoo went after Min Seo Hyun. But by contrast, she had seen the tender smiles Jan Di got on her face when in Jun Pyo's absence, Ji Hoo called or when Jan Di spoke of her firefighter.)

"Are you alright? What happened in Macau? And was that Yoon Ji Hoo?" Ge Eul asked after she released Jan Di from the tight hug she had wrapped her in — practically dragging her to an empty booth near the kitchen.

Ga Eul's voice had risen slightly – luckily the dinner crowd was slow that evening and there were no customers other than the crotchety old man whom they called "Grandfather" sitting in his usual corner. He seemed to be dozing but at Ga Eul's exclamation, he raised his head – a strange look coming over his usual stoic face. He exchanged a look with the Master but this went unnoticed by the two friends who were busy catching up.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"And so it's over?" Ga Eul asked her best friend. She still seethed with anger and had Gu Jun Pyo been anywhere nearby, he would probably have been attacked by Chu Ga Eul. She was small, smaller than Jan Di — and normally quiet and oh-so-ladylike, but she had a temper and was fiercely protective of the ones she loved. He would have been surprised at her ferocity. Luckily for him, he was too far away and he didn't get to see the country mouse transform into a tiger.

"Well, you're well rid of him." Ge Eul comforted her friend. "I'm just happy Yoon Ji Hoo was there to bring you back and take care of you — he's always been there for you…" Ga Eul said, unsure how to broach the topic she dearly wanted to ask about.

A small smile crossed Jan Di's face and crimson stained her cheeks. "Yes, he was. I'm very lucky."

"…and?" Ga Eul asked, her eyes twinkling, leaning closer. Master was in the kitchen right behind them, eavesdropping unashamedly.

"And well…I decided that I'm going to move on — maybe I was looking too far away, when the one I loved was right next to me all along." Jan Di replied, smiling shyly. The first real smile Ge Eul had seen from her friend in the last year.

Ga Eul squealed and jumped out of the booth to embrace her friend. "Be happy Geum Jan Di…you deserve this…you deserve Yoon Ji Hoo."

"But meanwhile…" Jan Di's face fell as she remembered that she had bigger problems. "I need your help Ga Eul. I need to find a second job right away…or a loan…we're getting kicked out of our house in six days…"

"Omo Jan Di! What did your parents do now?" Ge Eul asked, exasperated. She and Jan Di had been best friends since they were in kindergarten and she had always had a front row seat to the constant problems that Jan Di's parents had.

"Just the usual…" Jan Di sighed heavily "Gambling…but it just seems to have all come to a head – the gambling debts and the loan sharks, and then the banks called in our mortgage…I don't know what to do Ga Eul..if we can't pay them, they're taking the business and the house and we have nowhere to go.."

"I wish I could help…" Ga Eul said. Her family was poor too – but unlike Jan Di's father, hers didn't have a gambling habit, and her mother did not have Guem Go Hee's strong belief that a rich husband for her daughter was the easiest solution to all their problems. That being said, Ga Eul wished she could help more. She thought of advising Jan Di to ask F3 for help – but quickly dismissed the idea. They were both poor girls but they both had their pride. She understood quite well that that was never going to be a solution acceptable to Jan Di.

"I know Ga Eul-yah…I'll find a way…my father has relatives in the islands, the worst case scenario is we move there after the bank takes our house…" Jan Di sighed heavily. "But even then, we would need to pay off the gambling debts before we could go anywhere…I'm scared Ga Eul…they're dangerous people..I'm afraid for Kang San…he's just a little boy.."

"Don't worry Jan Di – we'll find some way…maybe they'll take payment in installments?" Ga Eul said timidly.

The Master shuffled over, the moment of pretending that he was not eavesdropping was obviously over. With an exchange of looks with the old man in the corner, who gave a small nod and then returned to dozing...Master handed a sheaf of bills to Jan Di.

"Whaaa..what is this Master?" Jan Di asked, bewildered.

"This is all the profit we made the last two weeks — I'm sorry it's not more…but if you need it, I can spare it." He said.

"No…no..I couldn't possibly…" Jan Di argued. She knew he had a sick mother at home and the porridge shop was their only source of income.

"Take it Jan Di-yah.." the Master said gently. Over the years, he had come to love Jan Di and Ge Eul like the little sisters he never had. "let's do this.." he smiled, thinking of a way to make her accept. "Think of it as a loan."

"Yes Jan Di-yah!" Ge Eul exclaimed, putting her arm around the Master's shoulders. "And I can help you pay Master for it…I can't give up my salary because I need it for tuition…but everything I get as tips will go towards helping you pay off your loan! And if you find another job, maybe you'll have enough to at least pay off the loan sharks.."

Jan Di was floored. She felt like crying - overwhelmed by her fear and worry but also by the knowledge that she had such good friends.

Just then, the bell over the door rang and the three sprung into action. The dinner rush had begun.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was almost 10 pm when Ge Eul flipped the sign over the door to "Closed" and with a sigh, turned back into the shop. It had been a long night, a football match in the school nearby had increased the turnout of usual customers so it had been a busier night than usual. As she turned, she noticed the single headlight of a motorcycle approaching and slowing down.

"Jan Di-yah!" She called out to her friend who was clearing the table for the last stragglers for the evening. "I think your Prince Charming approaches!"

"Aish! Ga Eul!" Jan Di exclaimed, hurriedly depositing the last tray of dirty dishes at the sink and washing her hands.

"Ha ha. Are you blushing?" Ga Eul teased, grabbing the red apron from Jan Di who looked over at the Master for permission to go.

"Yah Yah Geum Jan Di! Just go already." The Master said with a smirk.

"Gomawo Master! Bye Ga Eul! I'll see you tomorrow!" Jan Di called out as she ran out the door, already feeling lighter and lighter the closer she got to the tawny haired boy holding out a motorcycle helmet to her with a smile.

Ge Eul and the Master looked out fondly as the taillights of the motorcycle got smaller in the distance. They were happy for Jan Di — if anyone deserved some happiness, it was her.

"Aheeerrmmm…" a gruff cough interrupted the two, they turned around to see Grandfather behind them.

"Mianhae Harabeoji…For blocking the door…"Ga Eul apologised, moving aside to let him through. Jan Di and Ga Eul had grown fond over the old man who had been coming over forever it seemed. Often they forgot her was there until he asked for some outlandish order that wasn't even on the menu. But despite his gruffness, the old man was always kind and seemed to enjoy Ga Eul and Jan Di (especially Jan Di eho had a motherly streak) fussing over him.

"Was that Jan Di-yah's boyfriend?" The old man asked Ga Eul, exchanging a look with the Master that made her puzzled.

"Yes…well…at least we think so."

"Good, good." The gruff old man muttered "She's a good girl….like a lotus that one."

"Ne Harabeoji. She is at that." The Master said, patting the gruff old man on the back as he left the shop.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Where to Otter?" Ji Hoo asked as they stopped at the corner waiting for the light to change. "Home?"

"Will you take me somewhere Sunbae…I don't want to go home just yet." Jan Di replied, laying her head against his back. She didn't want to go home at all – but she couldn't run away from her problems. Yet she needed some respite after her long day.

"Will you be comfortable coming to my house?"Ji Hoo asked, a bit nervous. It was a bit late and he wanted to spend time with her alone and yet didn't want her to think he was pushing boundaries she wasn't ready to cross.

"Ne Sunbae…if it wouldn't be too much trouble." Jan Di answered.

The rest of the ride was quiet, the streets were emptying of traffic as it grew later and colder. In a few minutes they had pulled up to the driveway of Ji Hoo's house, it was empty but the lights were on and the glow made it look welcoming and warm. Ji Hoo unlocked the door and led Jan Di in to the big living room, leaving her for a few minutes only to return with a pot of tea and china. She was sitting somewhat stiffly in the middle of the couch, deep in thought when he returned.

"Are you ok little one?" Ji Hoo asked, reaching for her automatically. He didn't know what had happened to change him so much, but for someone who used to so jealously guard his personal space, he now craved some physical connection with this slip of a little girl every time he saw her. It didn't need to be much, the simple touch of her hand or the feel of her cheek against his shoulder was enough — it was as if, after longing for her for so long, he needed some physical confirmation that she was really there…that this wasn't just another of his dreams and that he would reach out and she would vanish at a touch.

"Am I so transparent Yoon Ji Hoo?" Jan Di asked, a sad little smile on her face as she willingly sank into his embrace. "That you can always know if I am not ok?"

(Did she not know that he had loved her for so long, watched and learned every emotion that crossed her face and catalogued every expression?)

"It's just that the alarm seems to be on red alert Geum Jan Di." He replied. "Are you sure you're not hiding something from me?"

"It's just..well..family problems." Jan Di said ashamedly. "I know that if I told you, you're going to try to help and I don't want you to keep rescuing me —- keep rescuing them. My parents and I need to sort out our own problems without being a burden to other people."

"Jan Di-yah…" he began, wanting to argue but Jan Di stopped him.

"Sunbae…is it ok if you just well…Uhmmm…"

She was poking up at him, and her eyes were liquid pools of ink. And he knew.

"Kiss you?" He teased. She blushed.

"Happily." Yoon Ji Hoo said as lowered his face to hers. He knew she was distracting him — but he was a young man in love and could not resist for long.

It was a long time before they separated, the need for air parting them.

(And Ji Hoo's pragmatic side telling him to slow down before Jan Di noticed how much their closeness was affecting him.)

"Is it time for you to be getting home?"he whispered to her. Jan-Di shook her head — her parents were used to the late hours she kept, mostly when she took odd jobs. In fact, she thought that if her mother knew where she was and more importantly, WHO she was with, she would probably be the first to volunteer that Jan Di could stay as late as she wanted.

She shook her head. "Sunbae…I need to tell you something…" she started, unconsciously wringing her hands nervously.

Ji Hoo froze. Was she going to tell him she had changed her mind? (Part of him had already started to believe that THIS was happening — that finally she was his. But the other part, the one that feared she was just caught up in the drama of the last few days, unconsciously was preparing for a blow to come — that she would tell him she had made a mistake being with him).

He nodded, not wanting to speak.

"No…no…it's not..bad.." Jan Di said, holding his face between her hands. "It's just that.."

"What little one?" He finally asked. Whatever it was, he knew he needed to know. She was so agitated and nervous, he had never seen her this way before.

"It's just that…well..I have never said this to anyone before…" Jan Di explained. It was now or never and knowing how quickly her situation could change, she wanted to be sure he knew in case something…anything..happened.

"Saranghae Yoo Ji Hoo." Jan Di said. And the minute the words left her lips, she felt free. "Whatever happens — I wanted you to know."

Ji Hoo let go of the breath he did not even know he was holding. He wanted to to tell her so many things. He wanted to tell her that hearing the words fixed everything that was wrong, everything that was broken in him. That he would never let her go. That he would love her all his life. But words never really came easy for the quiet young man. So he did the best he could and told her everything he wanted to say in a kiss.

"I love you too Geum Jan Di. More than you could ever know."

He was so happy – he couldn't remember ever feeling this way in his whole life. He held her close and basked in the happiness he felt. And then after a while, Ji Hoo rose from the sofa and quickly returned with his precious violin.

"I was saving this…for this day." He explained

"You were so sure of me Sunbae?" Jan Di teased. Now that she had told him what she had been keeping inside for (what she realised was years) a long time, she felt almost giddy.

"No." Ji Hoo answered. "But I…I hoped. And I prayed. I wrote this for you — that week after I returned from Paris. When Min Seo Hyun forced me to face my feelings — that I loved you. That she had been and always would just a placeholder, until the real thing – until you – came along."

And without another word, he began to play a beautiful song. It was difficult to describe, it was both sad and joyful and expressed every single hope the young man had.

"Does it have a name?" Jan Di asked as the last note faded.

"Forever."

And hours later, in her cold bedding on the hard floor of their empty house, Jan Di closed her eyes and could still hear the beautiful song as if it were engraved on her memory note for note.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jan Di rushed to the F4 Lounge hoping to catch Yoon Ji Hoo. She knew that he had to be in the Suam Foundation the whole afternoon but had hoped to see him even for a little while before he left. Unfortunately she had been detained by yet another teacher giving her more make up work for the days that she had missed. She didn't know why she even bothered, in less than a week, she would probably have to quit school and move to the islands with her parents. But the weed in her that refused to be stamped down — even by life – persisted. Even if she left this school she was determined to continue her studies and everything she did until the day she was forced to leave would count.

She almost collided with Woo Bin as she entered the lounge. She had been here a few times in the past but still was tempted to shake her head in disbelief how privileged these boys were. The lounge was not only large, it also had every creature comfort anyone could possibly want, need or think of – including a state of the art entertainment system that dominated an entire wall.

"Yah Wonder Girl! Where's the fire?" Woo Bin said, a smile breaking out on his face, genuinely glad to see her. ( He didn't know when it happened but somewhere in the drama, Jan Di had turned from an non-entity, to an annoyance, to Jun Pyo's girl and to a friend and now he felt almost brotherly towards her).

"Woo Bin Sunbae!" Jan Di exclaimed, giving him a smile as she tried to peek over his shoulder. Playfully, Woo Bin moved this way and that, deliberately blocking her view. "I knew it — you can't stay away from me huh?"

"Aish!" the girl said exasperatedly "Actually….I was…"

"Looking for lover boy?" Woo Bin finished with a smirk, ushering her in.

Jan Di hit his arm. "Yah Woo Bin Sunbae! That's so crass!" she complained.

"Geez wonder Girl…violence…always this violence.." he teased, rubbing his arm exaggeratedly.

"Hello Jan Di-yah." So Yi Jeong greeted her from across the room, lifting a glass in mock salute. "You just missed him. He told us to tell you he had to go to the Foundation and might not be able to see you today."

"What's up with your phone anyway?" Woo Bin asked, pulling her along and depositing her in one of the plush sofas. "He said you couldn't be reached by phone and actually ordered me to find you…geez. So pushy that one." He complained.

"Uhmm..well..I dropped it coming back from Macau and it hasn't been fixed yet." She answered uncomfortably.

"Just buy a new one." Yi Jeong said offhandedly as if it were so incredible that she couldn't see the obvious solution. Woo Bin frowned at him, seeing that Jan Di was fast moving from being flustered to being annoyed.

"Well not everyone can afford that Yi Jeong Sunbae." She said sarcastically. "You know…poor people problems."

"Yah yah, I apologise for my insensitive friend Jan DI-yah." Woo Bin interjected before the situation got worse.

"Sorry Jan Di." The potter sheepishly said "I'm being a jerk as usual." Yi Jeong flashed his dimples at her. She lightened up a bit but the glare she shot him told him the dimples didn't work.

(What the hell was wrong with this girl? Was she BLIND? Or..god forbid, was he losing his touch?!)

Putting such impossible thoughts out of his mind, Yi Jeong started fiddling with the sound system. Ji Hoo had been using it all afternoon and playing a song over and over again on his violin until Yi Jeong wanted to punch him. Not that it was a BAD song. It was just soo…soo sappy sounding. He hated love songs. He had asked him what it was and the alien had just smiled that annoying mysterious smile at him.

"Anyway, I've been ordered to make sure you got to work safely." Woo Bin was telling Jan Di.

Yi Jeong pressed the play button —- "Aish! There it is again! What did Ji Hoo do to this thing?" Yi Jeong thought exasperatedly.

Suddenly, Jan Di stopped in the middle of convincing Woo Bin that she was fine to walk to work — and stared at the speaker with a goofy grin on her face…it was her song! Her heart soared and the other two exchanged looks. It was the same besotted look Ji Hoo had been wearing all day. Something had definitely happened the night before.

("For crying out loud, I hope our Yoon Ji Hoo got some action." Yi Jeong thought. "His self-imposed celibacy while Jun Pyo was dating Jan Di had to have long term adverse effects..)

(For his part, Woo Bin thought "I must be getting soft in the head…when did this all this true love shit start getting cute to me?")

"Omo! Not you too!" Yi Jeong exclaimed.

Jan Di just smiled and waved as Woo Bin dragged her out of the room to his car.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The drive was a short one (Clearly, traffic signs were mere suggestions to Prince Song) and before she knew it, the Lotus was pulling up to the curb in front of the porridge shop. "Woo Bin-ah, can I ask you a favor?" Jan DI paused before she got out of the car.

"Sure Wonder Girl, what's up?" The handsome young man answered. His usual sardonic grin vanished as he noted how pale and serious she suddenly looked. "What's wrong Geum Jan Di?" He asked, a more serious tone colouring his voice.

"Nothing…nothing. It's just..well, if something happened to me…and don't tell anyone I told you this…" Jan Di stammered. She was such an idiot. What possessed her to even initiate this topic?

"What do you mean if something happened to you?" Woo Bin asked, zooming in immediately on the words that raised alarm bells. Everyone saw him as nothing more than a pretty face, but in fact, that was just a façade Woo Bin used to disguise his very analytical mind.

"Nothing…forget it." Jan Di said, starting to open her door. Woo Bin pressed the lock button and suddenly Jan Di found herself locked in.

"No. Tell me."

"Uh well…you know.. just take care of Yoon Ji Hoo ok? If something did happen? Don't let him hide from the world again…and remind him to remember what I said last night."

"I'm confused here Geum Jan Di." Woo Bin said, his eyes narrowing. "What happened last night."

"Nothing..that is…well…" Jan Di continued to stammer, embarrassed now.

"I'm not letting you out until you tell me." Woo Bin warned, pointedly turning off the engine and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Fine." Jan Di said exasperatedly. "I told Yoo Ji Hoo I loved him" she said in a rush. "And I'm afraid he thinks I'm just on a rebound…but I'm not. If anything, Gu Jun Pyo was my rebound from Yoon Ji Hoo…and I meant every word I told him last night Song Woo Bin, and if you're his friend, you'll make sure he realises that. Now can I go?"

Woo Bin was not convinced. That is, he was convinced Geum Jan Di loved Yoon Ji Hoo, it was so easy to read her, her face seemed to reflect every emotion she felt. And that morning they flew out of Macau, there was something incandescent about her, even with her heartbreak and the ugly clothes — she looked transformed, almost beautiful. Not his type of course. But beautiful.

(He actually never bought into the whole Jun Pyo-Jan Di love story – it was more like Jun Pyo bulldozed the girl into liking him — but that was Jun Pyo for you…)

So yes, he believed she loved Yoon Ji Hoo but he had a strong gut feel there was more she wasn't telling him. But he wasn't about to hold her captive in his car in broad daylight so he decided to let her go. He would find out eventually. He always did.

"Yah! Tell him yourself Wonder Girl!" He said, breaking the tension with his usual debonair smile and unlocking the doors.

Jan Di smiled back – relieved that she had gotten that out of her chest – and went into the porridge shop ready for another long night of work.

XXXXXXXXX

Author's Note : Well that kind of just poured out of me. Sorry for inflicting such a long chapter on you.

Reviews are love! I think the number of reviews is directly proportional to how fast I type, ha ha.


	8. Chapter 8 Little Boy Blue

Chapter 8

Little Boy Blue

"Annyeong Jan Di-yah!" Ga Eul called out cheerfully as Jan Di entered the porridge shop for her shift.

"Ye, annyeong haseyo Ga Eul-yah! Hello Master!" Jan Di replied, heading for the storeroom where she donned her red apron and deposited her school bag.

"Yah Jan Di-yah — can you bring this over to Grandfather? He's in his usual corner." Master said, handing Jan Di a full tray.

"What is this Master?" Jan Di asked curiously, it didn't look like anything they ever served.

"Something he asked for especially — now don't keep him waiting."

Jan Di nodded and immediately complied and went over to the old man. He had his back turned to the door and to catch his attention, Jan Di had to cough lightly, not wanting to intrude into his reading.

"You need to take something for that cough young lady." A gruff voice said, although the eyes behind the horn rimmed glasses twinkled.

"Annyeong haseyo Harabeoji!" She replied cheerfully. "How are you today? I'm sorry I wasn't able to say goodbye yesterday."

"The new boyfriend keeping you busy?" He asked. "You haven't been a round much."

"Errr…uhmm…yes?" Jan Di said blushing. "Well I'lll be looking for a new job soon so I might not be here as much too."

The old man looked up sharply – "Another job? Are you quitting this one?"

"No Harabeoji…it's just that well..my family needs help..so…"

"Aish girl! That would be your third job wouldn't it? In addition to school?" He frowned as she nodded. "You know it's your parents job to support you — it's not your responsibility to support them?"

"Ne Harabeoji.." she said softly, embarrassed.

"You're a good girl Geum Jan Di." The old man said, the gentle pat he gave her on the shoulder contradicting his earlier harsh tone. "But you need to take care of yourself too. You can't help anyone if you're sick."

"Ne Harabeoji." She agreed, bowing as she moved off with the tray.

A new customer had come in as Jan Di was serving the old man, but otherwise the shop was quiet as it was still early. After Ge Eul had served the man his order, she and Jan Di sank down into a nearby booth, they were both busy working students and their short breaks between customers were a welcome chance to catch up with each other or to just relax and chat.

"How's the job hunting?" Ga Eul asked.

"Nothing promising…" Jan Di said glumly. "Other than my high school diploma and swimming, I don't really have other skills."

"Don't worry — something will come up…we'll keep looking." Ga Eul tried to console her friend.

"Yah Ga Eul-yang. It's just that even if I did find a new job – it would need to be one where they would agree to advance enough of my salary to cover the rest of what we owe."

Unbeknownst to the two girls, the quiet customer in the booth was very deliberately listening in to their every word. He allowed himself a self satisfied smile. It seemed that the stars were aligning for his little "project".

"Sillyehamnida, my apologies for interrupting you young ladies…"

Jan Di and Ge Eul stood up alarmed.

"Gomawo sir. Did you need something? Apologies for not hearing you call.." Ga Eul began

"No, no..not at all." The man replied, smiling pleasantly. "Actually, I am very sorry for eavesdropping." He bowed slightly.

"I overheard one of you saying they were looking for a swimming job?" He said, pretending to address Ga Eul. "Was it you miss?"

"Aniyo Ajeoshi. It's my friend Geum Jan Di." Ge Eul responded, shoving Jan Di slightly forward.

"Annyeong Geum Jan Di -yang. I am Kim Si Woo." The man bowed politely to Jan Di who awkwardly returned the bow.

"I understand you are looking for a job? I am just in Seoul visiting and I work for the school district in Jeju Island. I am sorry to interrupt but it just so happens I am actually here to look for an assistant swimming coach for our school. We need someone to help our coach with the elementary school swimming team. It would only be short term of course but the pay is good and it covers board and lodging…may I know your qualifications?"

Jan Di's heart pounded, maybe this was the answer to her prayers?

"I only have a high school diploma sir." She replied. "But I was on the swimming team of Shinhwa Academy. I won the last city wide meet before I graduated in the women's 500 meter freestyle competition." Jan Di explained, almost stumbling over her words in her haste.

"Shinwha? Very impressive!" Mr. Kim said. "And are you of legal age? Will your parents allow you to work in Jeju Island? It would only be for three months. But if you need the money, I am sure was can arrange to advance your salary."

"Yes! Yes Ajeoshi!" Jan Di replied "I am sure they would."

"Well…I would have to verify the information at Shinhwa of course." Mr. Kim said. "And you would need to get your parents permission?" He asked.

"Ne Ajeoshi!" Jan Di replied excitedly "I will do so right away."

"Is there a number I can call you?"

Jan Di got worried, she realised she had no mobile phone and their home phone was one of the first things they had to get rid of.

"This one sir!" Ge Eul said excitedly. "Jan Di-yah, why don't you use my phone so Mr. Kim can reach you?"

"Ahh that is perfect." Mr. Kim replied, taking down Ga Eul's number.

"Now if you could please bring my bill? I must be going. I will get in touch as soon as I have verified your data with Shinhwa."

"Gomawo Kim Si Won -ssi!" Jan Di said with a polite bow.

Mr. Kim paid his bill and stood up to leave. He paused by the door — "We'll need proof of identity as well. Do you have an identity card or a passport?" he asked.

"Yes sir! I have a passport!" Jan Di replied quickly – luckily she had secured one just for the Macau trip.

"Arasso. Please bring it with you when we meet again, I will give you a call. Anyeong-hi jumisipsio."and he bowed as he bid them good night. As he stepped out into the night, the man smiled to himself. The bait was cast and the fish were biting nicely.

As soon as Mr. Kim left, Jan Di and Ga Eul smiled widely at each other. Hopefully, this was the answer to Jan Di's problems.

"Do you think he will call?" Jan Di asked Ge Eul nervously. "I'm sure my parents will be ok but I need to tell Yoon Ji Hoo…I'm not sure how he'll take it…me being gone so long."

"Knowing what little I know of Yoon Ji Hoo, he'll probably want to move down to Jeju with you." Ge Eul teased. "Anyway, I'm sure Coach Park will vouch for you Jan Di! And you are so good with kids. Just be careful ok? We don't really know Mr. Kim…" Ga Eul cautioned.

She was tiny bit suspicious of the perfect timing, but could not quite put her finger on why she was so bothered. Before she could recall process her thoughts, the bell over the door jingled and she looked up to see Jan Di's face break up into an even wider smile.

"Sunbae!" She exclaimed hurrying over to Yoon Ji Hoo. Having come from the Foundation, he was even more formally dressed than usual, and looked very handsome in his impeccable dove gray suit. "I thought you wouldn't have time to see me today." Had Di said as she reached his side.

"I finished the board meeting as soon as I could." Ji Hoo replied "And then I skipped out of the dinner as soon as it was polite to leave."

(Actually, he had skipped eating altogether, only staying long enough to let everyone order their meals so that he could sign for the check and go.)

Yoo Ji Hoo smiled at his girlfriend who was blushing adorably. He wondered how long he could make her blush just by smiling at her — and he hoped it would be for the next sixty years at least. He really wanted to kiss her but didn't relish doing it with an audience as Ga Eul and Master looked on.

"Annyeong Ge Eul-yah, Master Shim." Ji Hoo politely greeted the two.

Master was suddenly star struck and with a shy mumbled greeting retreated to the kitchen where he would intermittently peer over to see what was going on.

Ji Hoo looked around, the shop was mostly empty except for one person in the corner. He was hoping that with business being so slow, he could convince Jan Di to leave early.

"Annyeong Ji Hoo Sunbae." Ga Eul smiled cheekily. "And how are you today?"

"I am very well Chu Ga Eul-ssi." Ji Hoo replied politely. "I hope I am not bothering you ladies? I can sit and wait for Jan Di to finish her shift."

Ge Eul smiled and waived them over "Sit anywhere Ji Hoo Sunbae. As you can see, it's really slow tonight. And I think Jan Di has something to tell you."

Ji Hoo turned a questioning gaze at Jan Di who glared at Ga Eul…she had not planned on telling Ji Hoo just yet, after all, she hadn't even been offered the job yet. She frantically tried to think of how to change the topic — and then realised Ji Hoo had never met Grandfather, although she spoke of him to JI Hoo often.

"Later Sunbae – but first I want you to meet someone…" Jan Di said cheerfully, taking his arm and pulling him over to the corner where her favorite customer usually sat.

"Harabeoji! Excuse me." Jan Di said, "I wanted to introduce you too…"

"Yoon Ji Hoo."

"Grandfather!"

Then Yoon Ji Hoo's eyes widened in shock and without another word, he ran out into cold the night, leaving his coat behind.

"Harabeoji?" Jan Di asked perplexedly turning to her friend. "You….you…."

"Yes." The old mad said gravely, tears running down his face. "I'm his grandfather…I'm the one that killed his parents…" and then suddenly, he grabbed at his chest and almost bent over double.

"Harabeoji!" Jan Di shouted in alarm.

Master came running over and helped him to sit down.

"My medicine…". The old man said, pointing to his bag. Master riffled through the bag and found a vial of pills and the old quickly downed a couple of them. "I'll be ok child — go after him…he needs you…"

"Don't worry Jan Di-yah, we'll take care of President Yoon." Master assured her.

Taking her coat and Ji Hoo's, Jan Di ran out into the night.

This time, her firefighter needed her.

She could hear the alarm bells.

She had walked for hours in the cold Seoul night, countless streets, shouting his name. But no matter how hard she looked, Ji Hoo was nowhere to be found. Her worry intensified as the hours ticked by and when the rain started. He was out there in the cold and wet night. He had left his motorcycle behind and she could not contact him, having left Ga Eul's borrowed phone in the shop as she rushed out. Jan Di stopped and decided that he would come home eventually — her best option was to go to his house and wait for him there.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ji Hoo walked and walked, disoriented, not noticing the cold nor the direction that he went. His mind reeled from seeing his Grandfather for the first time in fifteen years.

He could understand though — why his Grandfather hated him so much — after all, he had killed his parents. If only he hadn't distracted his Appa while he was driving…if only he hadn't disobeyed his Ommeoni and kept his seatbelt on…

He saw this scene in every nightmare — the short lighthearted moments when he unbuckled his seatbelt and peered between the two front seats where his happy parents were chatting. They were on the way to his Grandfather's house to drop off Ji Hoo for his weekly play date with Grandfather. He was telling his dad all about how So Yi Jeong had just come from America and taught them a new game called Blind man's Buff and then he had covered his father's eyes with his hands…

It was all his fault.

He knew his Grandfather couldn't stand the sight of him because he was no different from a murderer —even if he had only been a little boy who needed the only close family he had left.

He walked as he looked back on his lonely life — there had only been Min Seo Hyun and the F4.

Until Geum Jan Di.

Geum Jan Di.

He stopped in his tracks and for the first time that night, felt the cold and noticed his wet clothing. And he suddenly felt a tug in his heart pulling him home. He didn't know why or how he knew — he just felt that he needed to get home. To get to Geum Jan Di.

He ran back to his house, pausing every now and then to catch his breath, not noticing the cuts and scratches on his knees and palms from the times he fell.

Finally after what seemed like hours of running, he saw the lights of his driveway — and sitting on the front steps, the one person in the world he needed and wanted to see at that moment.

He struggled to make it to the last few steps to reach her but the few feet between them seemed likes miles away.

"Sunbae!" Jan Di exclaimed in alarm, seeing him staggering towards her. She jumped up and ran to him, wrapping him in the coat she held in her arms. Putting his arm around her shoulders, she helped him reach the house and fumbled in his pockets for the keys, finally locating them in his coat.

"Jan Di…" he said, his arm tightening against her shoulder "..please..please don't leave me."

With a great deal effort, she succeeded in bringing him inside the house. She had barely managed to get him on the sofa when she heard the loud screech of tires in the driveway, and a few minutes later, Woo Bin burst into the house. Seeing the pair, he immediately ran into the living room.

"Woo Bin Sunbae!" Jan Di exclaimed in relief. "Please help me, we need to get him out of these wet clothes and into bed."

Without another word, Woo Bin hefted Ji Hoo's prone body and with Jan Di trailing behind, carried him into his bedroom.

"What do you need me to do?" He asked

"Can you undress him Woo Bin-ah?" Jan Di asked, her cheeks aflame. "We need to dress his wounds…there doesn't seem to be any other injury but…should we call a doctor?"

Had it not been for the direness of the situation they were in Woo Bin thought he would have teased Jan Di a lot more about her obvious embarrassment at being in Ji Hoo's bedroom and having to undress him. But seeing her distressed face, he thought he needed to lighten her up. After all, Ji Hoo was home, safe and seemed relatively unharmed.

"Yah Geum Jan Di! You'll have to make an honest man out of Yoon Ji Hoo after this…" he quipped as he helped Jan Di slip a clean shirt over Ji Hoo's head. He almost laughed aloud — he thought Jan Di's face couldn't possibly looked redder but apparently, he was wrong.

She just shook her head at him and gave a little smile as she continued to take care of his friend. He'd always seen her as rough and tumble, loud and sometimes even violent, but now he saw a completely different side of her. Her voice so soft as she whispered to Ji Hoo, her hands light and gentle as she tended each scratch and scrape.

When she was finished, she sat on the floor next to the bed and rested her chin on the mattress.

"I've called Secretary Jun." Woo Bin said. "He's going to send someone to take care of Ji Hoo. Do you want me to take you home?" He asked the girl.

"No Sunbae — if you think it's ok, maybe he can send someone tomorrow instead? I'd like to stay and take care of him…do you think that would be alright?" She asked tentatively, she had not let go of Ji Hoo's hand the whole time they had finished administering to him. Yoo Ji Hoo was still out of it — only occasionally muttering something unintelligible and sometimes crying out, convulsively tightening his grip on Jan Di's hand.

"I think he would like that." Woo Bin said quietly, patting her shoulder. His friend was a very lucky man he thought. "I'll stay too in case you need anything — I'll be in the guestroom. Give a shout if you need anything Wonder Girl."

She simply nodded, all her focus on Ji Hoo still and he let himself out of the room.

A little past 1 am, Woo Bin got up to get a drink and peeked into Ji Hoo's room . He saw Jan Di still slumped by the bedside, Ji Hoo looked a bit better and seemed to have settled down into a more restful sleep. The temperature had dropped given the strong rain outside so he covered her with a blanket. She stirred and looked up at him dazedly.

"You ok there Wonder girl?" He asked, keeping his voice down. "He looks better…do you want to move to one of the rooms? I can sit with him for a bit.."

"I'm fine Woo Bin-yah…but can you stay with him for a while? I'm really thirsty.." she moved as if to get up, but Ji Hoo tightened his hold on her hand "Jan Di…" he muttered in his sleep. She sat back down.

"It's ok Jan Di – he's asleep, I don't think he'll notice if you leave for a while." Woo Bin felt worried, her position on the cold wooden floor couldn't have possibly been comfortable and she had been there for several hours, not moving from Ji Hoo's side.

"It's ok Woo Bin-yah..I'm fine."

He knew it was useless to argue and after getting her a glass of water, went back too bed.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Mianhae! Mianhae! Appa! Omma!"

Jan Di startled out of her sleep to the sound of Ji Hoo's agonised scream. She immediately leapt up and wrapped him in her arms, looking around to see if the scream had woken Woo Bin in the other room. Hearing nothing but the patter of rain on the eaves, her eyes adjusted to the dim light. Ji Hoo had his eyes closed, tears making silvery tracks down his face as he held her close.

"Sssshhh Ji Hoo-yah…"she crooned soothingly, rubbing small circles on his back as she held him close. For once, she was the one comforting him and she wished fervently that she knew how to make him feel better. "Ssssh…I'm here..it's ok…" she repeated over and over until his shaking stopped.

"Jan Di…" he whispered into her hair. "You're still here.."

"Always Ji Hoo-yah." She whispered back.

"I had a nightmare…the same one…"Ji said, leaning back against the headboard but still holding her to him as if he were afraid she would disappear.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked quietly.

He was so still and quiet for a long time that Jan Di thought he had gone back to sleep, until his quiet voice broke the silence.

"I was five…and my parents were driving me to my grandfather's house. We were in his car because all my things were already in the trunk when Grandfather suddenly got called away and my parents were going to be driven to the airport by the chauffeur from his house…they were so happy Jan Di-yah, they were going on their first vacation alone since I was born..and I…I was roughhousing with my dad…I covered his eyes..and I think we hit another car…they never made it to the hospital…" Ji Hoo said, his voice cracking in places, as he told his story, one he had never shared with anyone before.

"I could have stayed home…they said Grandfather could come get me after his meeting…but I wanted..I wanted to spend more time with my Omma and Appa…so I made a fuss and made them drive me to his house…and then I…" he stopped to take a breath.

"It was my fault Jan Di…I killed them." He sobbed. "That man…that man in your shop..he's my Grandfather…and I never saw him after that day…he left me too."

"And I don't blame him for hating me…I hate me too."

"No…no Ji Hoo-yah…" Jan Di protested. "It wasn't your fault…you were just a little boy…I'm sure he doesn't hate you…he always asked about you and I wondered why he was so interested…he's your family…"

"It doesn't matter." Ji Hoo said "I forgot about him…and he will never forgive me. We haven't been a family since my parents died. I have no family."

"But…" Jan Di tried to argue. Ji Hoo shook his head and turned away, releasing her from his arms and lying on his side to face away from her. "Please stop. I don't want to talk about it." He said coldly.

"Yoon Ji Hoo!" Jan Di said in a fierce whisper "Don't turn away from me. Please…I.."

"I don't want to talk about it Jan Di." He said, a note of finality in his voice.

He stayed still. And Jan Di waited, the moments ticking by. "Please Sunbae?" Ji Hoo's back stiffened but he stayed resolutely away. "Do you want me to leave?" She asked in a small voice. But still he was quiet and Jan Di slid to the floor and waited. After a while, the sky outside the window started to lighten with the coming dawn.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Woo Bin woke up to the incessant buzzing of his telephone. He had left it on and kept it by his pillow in the night, in case Yi Jeong called or he needed to take Ji Hoo to the hospital. He rubbed his eyes and noticed that the house was quiet but it was early morning judging by the light coming in from the window.

"Yoboseoyo?" He answered tiredly. It had been a long night. He wondered how Ji Hoo was as Jan Di had not woken him all night and apparently had slept like a log.

"Woo Bin Sunbae?"

"Ga Eul-yang?" He responded.

(He couldn't recall ever speaking to Geum Jan Di's little friend before, but for some reason, he recognised her voice immediately.)

"Good morning Sunbae…are you…is Yoon Ji Hoo alright?" She asked.

(Chu Ga Eul could not have explained why but when Yoon Ji Hoo rushed off into the night, and Jan Di raced after him, her first instinct had been to call Song Woo Bin.)

"He was ok last time I checked on him — Jan Di is with him – or was…I..I just woke up.."

"Oh." She said and then was silent on the other line. "I'm so sorry if I woke you early Sunbae. It's just..well is Jan Di still there?"

"Is something wrong? Are her parents upset?" He asked. He ran his fingers through his hair, dishevelling it even further.

(He hoped they weren't — the last thing Ji Hoo needed today were the irate parents of his girlfriend demanding a shotgun wedding for keeping their daughter out all night.)

"No, no. Nothing like that." Ga Eul hurriedly explained. "It's just that Jan Di was waiting for some news about a job and they called. I mean, they called my phone. And they asked for her parents' number. I think they must have talked to her parents because they said for me to tell her she needs to get home right away."

"Her phone still broken?" He asked. He shook his head a Jan Di's stubbornness, Ji Hoo could more than afford to buy her a new phone (or for that matter, even at the very least, majority shares in a local telecom provider if he wanted – or did he already own that?).

"Well..about that." Ga Eul stammered. "Uh never mind…Sunbae can you please just let her know?"

"Chu Ga Eul." Woo Bin said, putting a weight of disapproval so heavy in his tone, that even from where she was Ga Eul wanted to hide somewhere.

"Yes Sunbae?" She asked meekly.

"What. About. The. Phone."

"Uh…"

"I'm waiting. And I have all day. And if you hang up, we'll just have to have this conversation in person. And you wouldn't want that."

(He could imagine her panicking, her face getting all red — it usually started at the base of her neck, and crawled upwards, until her cheeks were rosy…he couldn't remember exactly when he had noticed that either.)

"Fine." She muttered under her breath. "Sooo bossy.."

"Ga Eul-yang?"

"Nothing." She huffed.

They both were silent.

"You know I have unlimited calls on this phone right? Do you? I could wait all day.." he said.

"She sold it." Ga Eul finally blurted out. "For lunch money for Kang San." She was embarrassed for Jan Di and embarrassed for herself. These rich chaebols would never understand.

She was right of course. Woo Bin was momentarily stupefied. He couldn't fathom having to go hungry or having to sell something to buy food.

"Is it that bad Ga Eul-yang?" He asked quietly.

Ga Eul was momentarily shocked too. She was expecting him to laugh it off, or to imperiously declare that he was buying Jan Di a new phone…or…well anything other than this…sympathy perhaps?

"Yes – but Sunbae please don't tell her or Yoon Ji Hoo that I told you." Ga Eul pleaded. "Anyway, can you please just tell her I called and that her parents want her home as soon as she can?"

"Ok Ga Eul-yang. I'll go find her now." Woo Bin said.

After Ga Eul ended the call, he went to Yoon Ji Hoo's room. There was no answer to his soft knock so he opened the door quietly and saw Ji Hoo still asleep. He couldn't find Jan Di at first until he noticed a lump on the floor under the blanket he had covered her in the night before. He softly shook her shoulder and as she woke, signalled for her to meet him outside so as not to disturb Ji Hoo.

"Good morning Sunbae." Jan Di said as she joined Woo Bin at the spotless island in Ji Hoo's huge kitchen. She kept her voice low — having left Ji Hoo's door open so she could hear him in case he called.

"How are you holding up Wonder Girl?" Woo Bin asked, handing her a cup of coffee.

(It was a rhetorical question really — she looked awful – she had not bothered to change, having been too busy taking care of Ji Hoo so her clothes had dried on her to a crumpled mess, her hair was sticking out in various directions, her eyes were dark and even after having freshened up in the bathroom, her face bore a crease from the lines in the wooden planks she had slept on for the last few hours.)

"Ok Sunbae." She said listlessly, warming her hands on the cup. "Ji Hoo Sunbae is better…he doesn't seem to have taken a fever…I think he just needs to rest."

"That's good." Woo Bin said, curious about how dead her voice sounded. "Is everything ok? Did he wake up at all? I'm sorry I must have fallen asleep…"

"He..he did." Jan DI replied, not wanting to tell Woo Bin that Ji Hoo was upset with her. "I uhmmm..guess I should be going…my parents…"

"Yeah, I actually woke you because Ga Eul called. Something about a job and your parents wanting you home as soon as you can?"

"Oh." Jan Di replied. "That's great. I guess I should go…will you..will you stay until Secretary Jun comes?' She asked, her tone no sounding as if anything was great at all. "I'll come back later today.."

"Sure.." Woo Bin replied, he looked at her worriedly – but then, perhaps she was just tired. "What's this with another job Jan Di? Is everything ok?"

"Yes..yes..Woo Bin-ah." She answered, forcing a fake smile on her face. "You know me..busy, busy, busy.."

To stop any further questioning, Jan Di grabbed her bag and walked briskly to the door — next to Yoon Ji Hoo, she thought, Woo Bin was really difficult to lie to and he seemed uncannily able to get to the heart of every little thing she was trying to hide.

"Hey — don't you want to wait for Secretary Jun? The chauffeur can drop you off?"

"Aish Woo Bin Sunbae!" She scolded, a hint of her genuine smile finally peeking through. "I'm sure that won't start the neighbours gossiping at all! Aigoo…me showing up in the wee hours in a fancy car…"

"Arasso, Arasso. Take care Wonder Girl. I'll see you later yah?"

"Yes Sunbae. Take care of him for me please?" She asked earnestly. He wondered why she had tears in her eyes but she left before he could ask.

(Woo Bin made a mental note about – he and Chu Ga Eul were due a long talk about this soon. He was just looking out for his friend Geum Jan Di, his best friend's girl. It had nothing to do with wanting to see Chu Ga Eul. Not at all.)

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Author's Note: Difficult chapter to write – I'm just glad it's out of my system. I hope you guys are still reading and I hope the So Yi Jeong-Chu Ga Eul shippers don't kill me. I swear I never planned a Woo Bin – Ga Eul side ship — it's just that Woo Bin won't behave! He keeps popping up!

Reviews are love I hope you enjoy and please PM me for comments, suggestions or violent reactions.


	9. CHAPTER 9 DOWN CAME THE RAIN

Chapter 9

Down Came The Rain

Jan Di arrived at their house, exhausted and bleary eyed from lack of sleep, she had at some point, dozed off at Yoon Ji Hoo's bedside in a fitful sleep. But her worry over him, his withdrawal from their conversation and his refusal to speak to her did not make for a restful sleep. She had not wanted to leave without saying goodbye but did not want to interrupt his much needed rest, Woo Bin would take care of his friend she knew.

"Jan Di-yah!" her mother grabbed her arm and practically dragged her into the house as soon as Jan Di's footsteps sounded in the stairwell.

"Thank goodness you're back. Kim Si Woo-ssi has called twice. He said the candidate they selected has back out and they are offering you the job and are willing to play your 3 month salary in advance if you can be ready to leave right away." Geum Go Hee prattled on getting extremely excited. "He said you should call him and be ready to leave today by 10 am because otherwise he has to go and you lose the job. He said he can advance three million won today."*

(*Author's Note : 3 Million Won is about 2,000 US dollars)

"Go..so suddenly? Do I go to the airport?" Jan Di asked bewilderedly.

"Wait, wait…" Geum Il Bong interrupted. "Jagiya, we don't really know much about this job or this person – we can't just let Jan Di go off so suddenly…" he tried to calm down his excited wife.

Guem Go Hee turned upon her husband, a very angry look on her face "You don't get a say in this Geum Il Bong! It's all your fault we're in this mess! We need that money! We've sold everything we can possibly sell to pay off your gambling debts and you know they'll be back soon to collect! And I don't see you coming up with the rest of the money! Do you want to see us out on the street?!What if they kill you? What if they hurt us? What do we do?!" She started hitting her husband who just cowered, unable to refute any of her statements.

"I just mean…they shouldn't rush her like this…we don't even have to time to check…"

"Check? What is there to check? He looks like a decent man — and he's giving us the money we need. I don't see you offering another solution!"

Jan Di tried to get between her parents, getting hit by the hysterical Geum Go Hee's flailing arms as well. She supposed it should have hurt, but having experienced her mother's wrath, she was numb to the pain her mother caused by now.

"Jan Di is an adult! And if she hadn't lost Gu Jun Pyo we wouldn't be in this mess…I'm sure he would have helped buy us out!" Geum Go Hee said, glaring at Jan Di as well.

Jan Di discreetly pushed Kang San into the corner to protect him from the fight. She would have wanted to shield her baby brother completely from this fight but the house was so small and the fight so loud that he would have heard everything anyway. He looked up at her before she pushed him behind her back, and Jan Di was deeply saddened by the resignation and sadness in his eyes. He was only in the 3rd grade, he should have been outside playing with other kids his age, not here, stuck in a battle between his parents, worrying about goons, gambling debts and getting beaten up or wondering where his next meal would come from.

Looking at her little brother's sad face, she made her decision.

"It's fine Omma, Oppa…" she said, "Please stop fighting…I'll go."

"Well finally! Someone around here has some common sense!" Guem Go Hee said. "Get your things ready – I'll run next door and ask to use Sang Woo-ssi's telephone to call Kim Si Won-ssi."

Like an automaton, Jan Di hastily packed her things with Kang San's quiet help. She could tell he was sad and worried and tried to reassure him.

"Don't worry San-ah, it's just for three months and I'll be back. I'll try to get a second job there too and as soon as I save money, I'll send it to Omma to buy a phone and then I can try and call you." Jan Di said, faking as much cheerfulness as she could.

Kang San nodded.

"I won't have time to go myself, but do you think you could go to the porridge shop and tell Ga Eul and Master that I had to go? Ask her to tell Yoon Ji Hoo that I will call him as soon as I find a way to from Jeju." She asked her brother. He nodded again, and gave her a quick embarrassed hug. He was a sturdy little boy, and she trusted him to carry her messages but Yoon Ji Hoo's house was too far for him to walk to alone. "Please tell Ge Eul-yah to make sure Yoon Ji Hoo gets my message ok?"

"Arasso Noona." Kang San nodded earnestly. "I'll go right away!"

"Won't you wait to for noona to leave first?" Guem Il Bong asked awkwardly from the door. He looked shamefacedly at his daughter.

Kang San nodded and Jan Di gave her father a smile. She knew it was his fault – he was weak, had always been a weak man. But he had tried to be a good father in the best way he knew — it was just often, his addiction to gambling was greater than his desire to be a good parent.

"How will I know where to find you Appa? When I come back?" Jan Di asked. The 3 Million won would pay off the loan sharks but the bank was foreclosing on their house in 3 days. They would need to move.

"Your Omma and I have relatives in the islands, we're going to try and get a job with the fishing boats there. I'll leave a message with the neighbors for you — do you think Chu Ga Eul can let you stay with them for a while until you can join us?" Geum Il Bong said.

Jan Di nodded sadly. She realised that when she came back, she would have no home to go to and University was out of the question. But she shook herself – she was a weed and for now, this is what her family needed her to do to survive so she would do it even if her heart broke at the thought that she would eventually have to leave Seoul — and Yoon Ji Hoo.

"Are you done?" Geum Go Hee asked, coming in.

"Yes Omma." Jan Di said, looking around her bare room. She did not have much and honestly, beyond the basic clothes she would need, all she wanted and had packed first were the few photos she had of herself and Ji Hoo, her sketches and the bracelet had had given her — which had not left her wrist since that night.

"Do you think Sang Woo-ssi would let me use their phone too?" She asked hopefully. Jan Di didn't want to leave without calling Ji Hoo or leaving Master without permission but her mother wasn't giving her much time.

"You don't have time — we'll wait with you downstairs. Kim Si Woo-ssi will be here in a few minutes with the money. You're to go directly to the airport from here." Geum Go Hee said briskly, signalling her husband to take Jan Di's suitcase and dragging Jan Di by the arm.

"What's this?" Guem Go Hee asked sharply, lifting Jan Di's arm.

"It's my bracelet..from a friend." Jan Di cursed herself for not hiding it from her mother. It had been saved from Geum Go Hee's rampage of selling everything of value they owned simply because she had been wearing the bracelet that day and was not at home — she was not so lucky this time.

"Give it to me —it looks expensive – why didn't you give it to me before?" Go Hee angrily asked her daughter, eyeing the bracelet greedily.

"No Omma. Not this. You can have everything else — but not this." Jan Di said firmly. "And you can't sell it anymore, there's initials on the back…" she argued.

Go Hee tightened her lips in anger glaring at Jan Di. She looked like she was about to launch into another angry tirade when a car pulled up to the curb. Mr. Kim got out of the passenger seat and bowed briefly to to the family.

"Ah Geum Jan Di-ssi, I see you have spoken to your parents? Are you ready to go? " he asked politely.

"Yes sir." Jan Di said. A burly looking man came out of the front passenger seat and took Jan Di's bags and put them in the trunk.

"We should go then. We might miss our flight and…"

"Ahem." Geum Go Hee interrupted, holding out her palm greedily.

"Oh of course. Mianhae Geum Go Hee-ssi. Here is your money." Mr. Kim said handing a small brown envelope to Jan Di's mother who immediately opened it and began counting the bills inside.

"Jan-Di-ssi, may I have your identity card and passport please?" Mr. Kim asked, Jan Di fumbled around in her purse and then handed her documents to the man who put them in his pockets. The driver had started the car and other man entered the front seat again. Mr. Kim entered the car and motioned for Jan Di to come in as well, Jan Di hugged Kang San tightly "Take care baby brother, I love you."

"I love you too noona. I won't forget what you wanted me to do." Kang San embraced his sister and tried not to cry. He was scared and worried but didn't know why – his Appa and Omma seemed ok. But there was something about the man that scared him.

"Good bye Appa, Omma..." Jan Di said, bowing to her parents and getting into the car.

Geum Il Bong looked sadly as the car grew smaller and smaller in the distance until it finally turned the corner and disappeared. Guem Go Hee was still satsifiedly counting the cash.

And Kang San, although he was a big boy of 9 (he told himself) found that he could not stop the tears that fell down his cheeks.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"To the airport". Mr Kim ordered the driver.

After about half an hour, Jan Di began to get confused. This wasn't the way to the domestic airport — she noticed that the signs all pointed to "Incheon International Airport" and it was familiar from just the last week when she had passed here coming from Macau.

"Ajeossi?" She asked timidly "Why are we here? Aren't the flights to Jeju at the domestic airport?"

Mr. Kim cast her a sidelong glance.

"Ah. Well we need to pass here to go to the air cargo bay. There is some equipment I need to pick up."

Jan Di was getting nervous but really had no reason to object to what seemed to be a valid reason for their change of route.

"Here Jan Di-yah. Why don't you have a snack and drink – this way you won't get hungry on the plane." Mr. Kim said, handing over a paper bag of food and drink.

Jan Di realised she had not eaten since the day before and the smell of the food made her empty stomach growl. She looked uncertainly at Mr. Kim who just mailed benignly, holding out the bag.

Jan Di took it and began eating. She ate very fast, she was that hungry. And finishing the sandwich, she drank deeply from the paper cup of soda. It tasted odd — but perhaps it had been sitting in the car too long she thought…

That was the last thing Jan Di thought as she passed out.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is the girl." The so-called Mr. Kim told the middle aged man as his bodyguard carried the unconscious girl into the cargo hold of the freight aircraft. "Here is her passport and her things — You remember what we talked about? She needs to be out of Korea and as far away as possible so she can't return."

The man laughed. He was pilot for a freight company and unfortunately, had a fondness for the horse track which his salary didn't quite support. Luckily, he had friends like Mr. Kim (or whatever his name was) who frequently asked him to carry "special" cargo which never quite made it into the paperwork.

"I assume your contact where we're landing is expecting her?" Mr. Kim asked. The man laughed again – he wasn't the only one looking to make easy money. In practically every airport in the world, there was always going to be some guy who looked away for a price. And with what he was getting for this job. He was confident that he could get away with it. "No need to worry. I've taken care of it."

"How long will she stay out?" The man asked. "Do we need to tie her up?"

"Yes but she'll be out least 14 hours – that was a strong dose we gave her."

"Good. I don't want her making a ruckus on the plane. What do you want me to do with her when we get there?"

Mr Kim smiled a nasty smile. "Honestly, I don't give a shit. All that my boss wants is to get her out of Korea and to make sure she can't come back. But hey – I'm feeling generous — why don't you cut her loose when you get to where you're going and here — give her this." He fumbled around in his pockets and found some money.

"Aish Kim-ssi, have you suddenly grown a conscience?" The pilot smirked.

"Not likely — but isn't it more fun to torture a rat in a cage when it thinks it actually has some hope of escaping?"

"You're a bad man Kim-ssi" the pilot laughed, shaking his head.

"Like I said — I don't give a shit – just get her the hell out of Korea." He turned and got into the car, and a few seconds later, the car peeled out of the airstrip.

"In that case — we won't need this…" the pilot muttered. Better to dump the evidence he thought. Taking Jan-Di's ID and passport in the little purse, he casually walked over the the public parking lot and dumped them near a trash can, making it look like it had accidentally fallen out of someone's bag. Incheon was a very big, very busy airport — shit like that happened all the time.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ah sleeping beauty awakes!" Woo Bin said, entering Ji Hoo's room and seeing his friend's eyelids flutter open at the sound of the door.

"Even for you, that was really long nap." Yi Jeong teased his friend.

Woo Bin had left Ji Hoo's house the morning of Tuesday. Very soon after Jan Di had left, Secretary Jun had arrived with Ji Hoo's personal physician and a nurse. Woo Bin was assured that Ji Hoo was physically fine but should be allowed to rest and sleep – the doctor had given him a sedative and the nurses would be on round the clock shift until Ji Hoo was ok. It was Thursday afternoon now — the doctors had been keeping Ji Hoo sedated.

"Woo Bin-ah..Yi Jeong-ah" Ji Hoo said softly, his voice raspy, trying to sit up. Ji Hoo gladly took the glass of water that Wo Bin handed over and drank it all in one long draught. He felt lightheaded and exhausted.

"How…how long was I out?" He asked. He could taste the bitter-metallic taste on his tongue and assumed he had been given some sort of drug.

"Two days." Yi Jeong said. "Woo Bin and Jan Di were with you and then I was here yesterday to trade places with Woo Bin."

"I…I didn't.."

"Yah, you we're pretty out of it bro." Woo Bin replied, patting Ji Hoo on the shoulder. "No worries — anyway this was a convenient place for Cassanova here to hide from his hordes of screaming women…" he joked trying to lighten the moment.

"Jan-Di?" Ji Hoo choked out, his throat dry and painful. "Is she…"

"Last time I saw her she was ok Ji Hoo-yah. She stayed with you all night and had to leave early morning because her parents were looking for her. I told her to rest, she looked almost as bad as you that night and I don't think she slept at all — wouldn't let anyone else take care of you… pretty sure that one likes you our Ji Hoo" the handsome young man joked, but in sincerity, having seen Jan Di that night, he had no doubt left in his mind how much the girl loved his friend.

Woo Bin turned to Yi Jeong with an inquiring look. "Wonder Girl said her parents were having some family issues…did you see her here when you were watching Ji Hoo?"

Yi Jeong shook his head. "Not yesterday – but she could have come before I arrived or after I left."

Ji Hoo suddenly turned pale and tried to get out of bed, falling to the floor as his knees were so unsteady.

"Whoa there hotshot!" Woo Bin said, rushing to his friend's side and helping him back into bed.

"I don't think she's coming back.." Ji Hoo said in an anguished whisper

"What?" two pairs of shocked eyes turned toward Ji Hoo.

"I drove her away…" Ji Hoo said in the same sad, dead voice, "I was…was cruel to her. I refused to talk to her and made her leave me alone…she must hate me now."

"Ji Hoo-yah…"

"No. That's not true." Woo Bin said in a strong voice. "You didn't see her that night Ji Hoo-yah…that girl loves you. She stayed all night Ji Hoo. She slept on the floor, if she got any sleep at all — and I don't think she would have left if I hadn't relayed the message from her parents."

"She'll come Ji Hoo-yah, maybe she just had to sort out her family problems." Yi Jeong consoled his friend. "But right now, why don't you take a shower and change into fresh clothes — I'll ask the kitchen to send you some food — do you need help dressing?"

Ji Hoo shook his head and waved off Woo Bin who had come forward to support him as he got out of bed. "I'm ok. I'll be ok." He assured his friends. He walked carefully to the en suite bathroom, holding on to the wall for support and soon, the two heard the water running.

"You sure Geum Jan Di was ok?" Yi Jeong asked Woo Bin. He had an uneasy feeling. It didn't make sense that she would leave Ji Hoo in his condition alone for two days. Maybe he had just missed seeing her but something just didn't feel right.

"Well she was ok when she left — I offered to take her but she wouldn't let me leave Ji Hoo alone."

"Did you try calling her?"

"She doesn't have a phone and no one is picking up at their house – I keep getting a recording that it's disconnected'"

"Are we being paranoid little old ladies about this?" Song Woo Bin asked with a quirky smile "It's the Wonder girl after all."

"Yeah maybe." So Yi Jeong "And you know she might just give us each a roundhouse kick if we try and interfere with her personal problems." He smiled at the memory — thinking about it, it was moment when Geum Jan Di had won his respect. The tiny slip of a girl, in her cheap clothes and fearless eyes daring to stand up to Gu Jun Pyo when men twice her size couldn't even meet his gaze.

"But…I won't hurt to ask other sources right?" Woo Bin smiled – he knew just who to call. Not that he was looking for an excuse to do so. It was only logical to call her right? After all, she was closest to Geum Jan Di. "Like Chu Ga Eul perhaps?"

Yi Jeong turned a sharp gaze at his friend. "You have her number?"

"Hey —- I saved it from when she called me." Woo Bin replied – then stopped. Why was he even explaining himself to Yi Jeong? So Yi Jeong had his chance with her and he rejected it.

"She called you?"

"Does that really matter right now?"

So Yi Jeong raised his hands in surrender, showing Woo Bin all was cool. Prince Song's voice was starting to escalate and honestly, he didn't really know if he cared enough about Chu Ge Eul to get into a fight with Woo Bin over her.

"Aish." Woo Bin said exasperatedly as all he got upon dialling Ga Eul's phone was a "Mobile is unattended" recording. "For now let's get Ji Hoo back in his feet – then we can try and patch things up with Wonder Girl."

A few minutes later, Ji Hoo came out of the bathroom and got back into bed. The nurse returned with a tray of food and medicine.

"What are these?" Ji Hoo asked sharply.

"Doctor's orders Young Master. They're for the pain and just to help you sleep."

"I don't want any more drugs." The tawny haired young man insisted, trying to get up but his knees still felt weak, he felt like whatever reserves of energy he had stored up had been completely exhausted simply from walking to and from the shower. His head felt tender at the back and he felt a large lump, and the water had caused his cuts and wounds to sting again.

"But sir…" the nurse tried to argue.

"No! I just need a few minutes and I want to go to Jan Di's house." Ji Hoo insisted angrily.

"Ji Hoo-yah..calm down." Woo Bin said, sitting at the edge of the bed. "You need to rest, just take the medicine for tonight and get some rest — it's too late to go out anyway. I promise I'll take you to check on Jan Di first thing tomorrow."

"Woo Bin…she…she's the most important thing to me…" Ji Hoo said, "She's the only one I have…"

"Yoon Ji Hoo." So Yi Jeong said sternly, coming closer and standing by Woo Bin. "That's not true — you have us."

The three were quiet for a while. And with an exasperated sigh, Ji Hoo drank the medicines.

A few minutes later, Ji Hoo fell into a deep sleep and the two friends decided to call it a night.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Jan Di came to, she found herself in the back of a moving vehicle surrounded by what seemed to be parcels and sacks of mail. Her hands hands were bound but not too tightly and there was a gag on her mouth, she felt nauseous and slightly dizzy and trying to move her feet, she accidentally dislodged one of the bags.

"C'etait quio ca?" (What was that?)

"Je ne said pas. Vefiez la fille." (I don't know, check the girl.)

The car moved to a stop, Jan Di didn't understand a word of what she overheard, she could recognise they were speaking french but she only had knew the little she had learned in high school. Her inner sense of survival though, screamed that she should stay still and pretend to still be out. As the door to the van opened, she lay back and pretended to be unconscious. After a few seconds, the door banged shut and she heard the men talking again.

"Elle est toujours hors de lui'" (She's still out of it.)

"Qu'est-ce qu'on fait de son?" (What do we do with her?)

"Peu import eve que nou faisons, nous devons le faire bien tot avant qu'il ne devienne leger." (Whatever we do, we need to do it soon before it gets light.)

"On va juste la jeter. Je ne veux pas avoir d'ennuis. Ton ami ne nous paye pas assez pour aller en prison. C'est un crime grave!" (Let's just dump her. I don't want to get trouble for this. Your friend isn't paying us enough to go to jail. This is a serious crime!)

"Es-tu sur? Elle est jolie, je suis sur qu'il y a quelqu'un serait pret a payer beaucoup d'argent pour elle. (Are you sure? She's a pretty little thing, I'm sure there's someone who'd be willing to pay a bit of money for her…)

"La ferme! On se debarasse d'elle avant que les flics arrivent." (Shut up! Let's just get rid of her before the cops come.)

"D'accord, d'accord. On peu la laisser dans cete ruelle." (Fine, fine. Pull over in that alley. We can leave her behind the dumpsters.)

"Oui, assurez-vows de laisser toutes ses affaires avec elle. On ne put pas laisser de prueves dans la fourgon." (Yes, and make sure you leave all her things with her, we don't need evidence in the van.)

Jan Di felt the vehicle slow down and finally stop. She forced herself to go limp and stay still, afraid of what the men might do if they found her awake.

The two men worked quickly in the dark night, the first man hit Jan Di on the head with a flashlight as she stirred, in the ghostly light, a trickle of blood ran down her forehead. He unbound her hands and removed the gag.

"Merde! Porquoi t'as fait ca?!" (Shit! What did you do that for?)

"Elle se revellait! Eat si elle voyait nos visages?" (She was waking up! What if she sees our faces?)

"Voter pas aussi stupide que vous regardez. Frappe-la encore eat assure-toi qu'elle reste dehors." (You're not as stupid as you look. Hit her again and make sure she stays out!)

"Avec plaisir con. " (With pleasure asshole!")

The man hit her again, harder this time. Then the two carried the limp girl stealthily. It was past three in the morning and pitch dark. No one saw as they dumped the unconscious body behind the dumpster, throwing her suitcase and bag over her, they hoped anyone who saw her would just think she was one of the many homeless alcoholics wandering around the city. And in the cover of night, they left.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: First of all, if there are any French readers, please accept my most sincere apologies if I have butchered your beautiful language. I blame my abysmal French ( almost nonexistent) and Google Translate for this. (IF anyone would be kind enough to help me re-translate properly, I'd love it.)

And I guess you've guessed where she is? I wrote the first two chapters on vacation in France — where I watched BOF on the plane and on long train rides.

I hope people are still reading. 90% of the time, I am writing this for myself because I feel bad about Ji Hoo always never getting the girl — but 10% of the time, I am disappointed that no one else is reading or reviewing it. But at any rate, for those who are still here, thanks for sticking around and going on this ride with me!


	10. Chapter 10 CINDERELLA

Chapter 10

Cinderella

Th girl woke to a dull thudding in her head and someone shaking her shoulder gently and opened her eyes to see the concerned look of a kindly old man speaking to her.

"Est ce que ca va? Comme s'appelle?" (Are you ok? What is your name?)

The girl stared at the man, she knew he was speaking g in french but she couold not respond and just shook her head.

"Es-tu Chinois? Japonais? Coreen?" (Are you Chinese? Japanese? Korean?)

"Korean…I am korean Harabeoji.."

The old man smiled and switched languages.

"Aigoo. What happened to you young lady? What is your name? What are you doing here?"

"I…I don't know Harabeoji…I can't..I can't remember my name."

"You are injured and it's cold out here. Would you like to come in?"

"Harabeoji..where am I? I..don't remember…"

"You're in Rue De Convention, this is the vaccine of my family's restaurant." The kindly old man explained, noting the girl's fear and panic. She looked young, maybe a runaway?

"Rue de Convention?" She asked, bewildered.

"In Paris."

She was quiet and her fear was almost palpable.

"Do you have a place to go?" The kindly old man asked. She didn't look dangerous, and there was something about her eyes.. he could not just leave her out there in the cold.

She shook her head, silent tears started running down her face.

"Harabeoji…I can't remember my name or why I am here.."

He nodded. And mentally, made a quick decision.

"My name is Mun Il Sung. I live over this restaurant with my daughter in law and my grandson Il Jin. If you feel like you can trust me, I will convince her to let you stay." He looked at her questioningly.

"Kwang Si is my daughter in law, my son was her husband but he died soon after he brought me to Paris. I am from Busan and they are my only family left. I will tell her you are the granddaughter of a friend — but we'll have to keep up the story until you remember who you are. You must have family looking for you?"

She shook her head miserably.

"Harabeoji..I just know I need to get back to Seoul."

"We can look through your things – maybe you will have some papers there? But young lady, you're very far from Seoul. And unless you work, Kwang Si will not let you stay with us long."

"I am willing to work Harabeoji…I don't know how I know..but I promise I will work hard. I have nowhere to go and I need to go back to Korea."

"Ok then. Follow me and let me do the talking. Kwang Si is…well…let me handle her. Just agree to everything I say. You need a name though…shall we call you Ji Min?"

The girl nodded acquiescently.

The old man smiled, Ji Min had been his late wife's name. But this girl…she had eyes that reminded him of her even after all these years.

Il Sung helped the girl up, and they gathered her battered suitcase and small bag. They entered a metal door leading from the alley into a dimly lit hallway.

"Si-abeoji! Shut the door! You're letting all the cold air in!" A querulous voice shouted out.

The two walked into a brightly lit, small kitchen where a petite korean woman was busy prepping food. She looked up and a scowl settled upon her face.

"And what stray have you picked up now?" She asked almost angrily. Kwang Si was a hard woman – she had had to be, after having lost her husband so young, and been left to support a young son, a failing business and an old father-in-law. She didn't particularly have any affection for the old man — and perhaps if her late husband had not left part of the business to him, she would have taken her son and left him years ago. But she had no choice and put up with him. She thought her late husband Il Song was a lot like his father – always so gullible to strangers, a bleeding heart for every sob story. It had only been because of her that the family restaurant had survived. And here he was again with another of his charity cases!

"This is Ji Min-ssi, the granddaughter of a friend from Korea. She needs a job and that girl Francine never showed up, we need a waitress." Il Sung replied, casting a look at the girl, who nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Hmmmp." Kwang Si cast a look at the girl, noting her disheveled appearance. "You. Come here!"

The girl shuffled forward nervously.

"Have you ever worked in a restaurant before? Can you cook?" Kwang Si asked. The girl nodded.

"Yes Ahjumma. I can wait tables and help in the kitchen. I'm a very hard worker."

"Where is your family? Are you a runaway? We don't want any trouble with the police."

"Ne Ahjumma…they are all in…Seoul. I am alone."

"Where do you stay? The hours are long.." Kwang Si continued until Il Sung interrupted her.

"Her grandfather asked me to give her a place to stay – she can use the little storage area in the back and there is a bathroom there as well."

"Ne Harabeoji…I don't need much…gomawo." The girl said.

"Well you'd better be a hard worker. You can start tonight…but if you mess up, you'll have to find somewhere else to go. I don't want any slackers around here." Kwang Si admonished. "We'll pay you what we paid the other girl — it's minimum wage and of course, I'll deduct room and board and you'll pay for whatever you waste or break in the restaurant."

"Ne Ahjumma." The girl now named Ji Min said quietly.

"I'll show her to her room now." Il Sung interrupted, leading her to the back before Kwang Si could change her mind. He hoped the young girl would work out — he knew Kwang Si was a hard taskmaster and a penny pinching one at that. All their waitresses never lasted long, mostly because Kwang Si was such a demanding and exacting boss and expected the work of two people from one person, at the cheapest possible salary.

Ji Min followed the old man to the back of the kitchen where he showed her into a small room, there was a small cot on one side and open shelving on the other side stacked with supplies. He cleared out an area of the shelving and indicated that she could put her meagre things there.

"I'm afraid it's very small…" the old man apologised "But it's warm and clean…and you will be alright here until we figure out how to find your family."

The girl now called Ji Min turned to him, a bright smile so reminiscent to him of his late wife shining on her face. She bowed low and respectfully.

"Gomawo Harabeoji. Thank you for helping me…I don't know what I would have done. I promise to work hard and not let you down." The girl said.

He patted her gently not he shoulder. "Why don't you check your things?" He suggested, "You have two hours before we open for lunch and maybe you might find a passport or ID in your bag?"

Ji Min nodded and Il Sung turned to go.

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SEOUL

Across the world, a tawny haired young man slowly came to. He opened his eyes and the light hurt him causing him to groan. His head hurt and his mouth had a bitter aftertaste — the kind he remembered from being a child forced to take sedatives by well meaning adults after his parents died.

"At last! Sleeping beauty is awake!" Woo Bin said, getting up from the seating area in the corner of Yoon Ji Hoo's room where he and So Yi Jeong had been quietly watching over their friend.

"Even for you Yoon Ji Hoo – that was quite a long nap." The bedimpled potter added.

"Woo Bin…Jan Di…where is Jan Di?" Ji Hoo asked urgently, looking around the room and not finding the face he was looking for.

"Hey, relax bro. She was here — but she had to go home, some family emergency." Woo Bin assured his friend.

"Has..has she come back?" Yoon Ji Hoo asked with trepidation in his voice.

"Not since she left on Wednesday morning…unless she was here on the days I wasn't. Yi Jeong, did you see her?" Woo Bin replied.

"No – but then I wasn't here the whole day all the time. Your doctors kept shooing us out and you were out cold." Yi Jeong explained.

"I have…I have to find her…I think she's left me…" Ji Hoo hurriedly tried to get out of bed, but his legs, unused to the sudden movement buckled under him and he had to brace himself against the wall. Woo Bin hurriedly helped his friend and settled him back on the bed.

"What are you talking about?" He asked incredulously. He had been with Ji Hoo and Jan Di the night that Ji Hoo had ran out — and he saw first hand how lovingly Jan DI had cared for his friend, the kind of love and concern that could not be faked. He saw how she tended to Ji Hoo, her hands gentle and her voice soft, keeping watch over him through the night, sleeping on the hard cold floor, refusing to even get on the bed for fear that her movements might disturb Ji Hoo's rest. Those were not the actions of a woman who would leave the man she loved. And he had absolutely no doubt that Geum Jan Di loved his friend — not after having seen her that night.

"She…I told her to go away…to not talk to me. She must hate me now." Ji Hoo said, his voice muffled by the hands covering his face, as he sought to still the ravaging headache he still felt.

"No Ji Hoo-yah, I was with her that whole night — she only left because her parents called Ge Eul to ask her to go home." Woo Bin argued. "Do you know she took care of you all night and wouldn't leave your side? Not even to change out of her wet clothes? She slept on the floor! She wouldn't let anyone else tend your wounds. She was so... You know what bro…you're lucky to have her. If that's not love, I don't know what is. I don't believe she would just leave you."

Woo bin exchanged glances with Yi Jeong. Yoon Ji Hoo had been kept heavily sedated the last two days, he was probably not thinking straight and more than a little emotional.

"I have to go find her…" Ji Hoo insisted trying to get up again.

Just then, the door to Ji Hoo's bedroom opened and the nurse on duty came in with a tray of food and a syringe of some medicine.

"What is that?" Ji Hoo asked sharply.

"You have to eat Young Master. And you have to take this — doctors orders." The Nurse replied firmly, sending a glance for help to Woo Bin and Yi Jeong.

"No." Ji Hoo said sharply, he could tell by how he felt that he had been given sedatives in the past days. "No more drugs."

"But Sir…"

"No!" Ji Hoo said loudly, again trying to get up.

"Bro.." Woo Bin said, gently pushing Ji Hoo back down on the bed. "Look…why don't you eat and rest tonight. It's too late to look for Jan Di now and we can't call her. I promise to help you look for her tomorrow."

"But.." Ji Hoo tried to argue.

"Please Ji Hoo." Yi Jeong said, "Just rest for tonight."

Seeing himself outnumbered, Ji Hoo reluctantly nodded and shortly after he felt the sting of the needle on his arm, he started feeling very sleepy, and his eyelids drooped.

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Paris

The Mun Traiteur Asiatique was a small restaurant along a busy street in the 11th Arrondissement of Paris. Being near a metro station, the restaurant did a brisk business especially in the evenings when commuters too lazy to cook dinner or craving Asian food would stop by for a quick meal.

It was about 6 pm when Ji Min (Jan Di) heard Kwang Si shouting for her. Hastily, she put the clothes she had unearthed from the battered suitcase on the little shelf. She could find nothing in the bag that would establish who she was. But at least it contained clothes and basic necessities and a small amount of money. She had also found a sketchbook but did not have time to look through it before she was summoned to start her new job. It would have to wait until the evening.

The night was frantic. While the restaurant was small, Ji Min was the only server. Kwang Si cooked and while Il Sung handled the cash register. During the short lulls between customers, Ji Min was also expected to wash dishes. Even little Il Jin, Kwang Si's eight year old son helped, carrying the lighter trays of food and sweeping up after customers left their tables. He was a sweet little boy and Ji Min found herself remembering…someone..she had known someone like him…but she could not remember.

It was past midnight when the last customer finally left and Il Sung started pulling down the shutters over the glass front of the restaurant.

"Harabeoji! Let me do that.." Ji Min said, hurriedly taking over the task from the old man.

"Gomawo Ji Min." The old man smiled approvingly at the girl. He felt he had not been mistaken in helping her so far. She was clearly hardworking and while she could not speak a word of French, her friendly demeanour, ready smile and quickness to help eased the language barrier. "I'll be going up now. Try to rest as early as you can, it will be another long day tomorrow."

"Yah Ji Min!" Kwan Si suddenly came up to the girl "You broke two glasses! That's coming out of your pay!"

"Mianhae Ahjumma.." Ji Min apologized, looking helplessly at the old man. The truth was, it was not even her fault as a customer leaving the table behind her bumped into her as she was carrying the tray of dirty glasses.

"Kwang Si…" Il Sung tried to argue.

"Are you running this business or am I?"

Il Sung had to stay silent — Kwang Si had become meaner and more tightfisted over the years, and he knew he would never win an argument with her.

"I thought so." Kwang Si said with grim satisfaction noting that neither Il Sung nor Ji Min disagreed with her. And ushering Il Jin up the stairs, she retired for the night. Il Sung bid Ji Min goodnight and went to her little room behind the stairs.

Now that she had time, Ji Min folded her clothing on the shelf, examining each one — hoping that something would remind her of who she was or where she came from. So far, nothing had sparked her memory until she came back to the small sketchbook that she found at the booth of the suitcase.

Opening the pages, Ji Min found the book almost half filled with sketches — mostly of landscapes of what looked like a river scene, lotuses floating on a pond, a small temple on the water. And then on the last page, a sketch of a beautiful young man playing a violin.

Ji Min paused, feeling her heartbeat accelerate — the longer she looked at the young man's face, the stronger she felt a conviction that she knew him…that he was someone very important to her. That she had to find him again. She didn't understand why —- there was only one sketch of him in the whole book. But when she closed her eyes, she could see him — it was like watching scenes from a movie. She did not know if she was in the scene too — but in her minds eye, she watched him playing the violin, smiling lovingly.

Not sure if she could do it, Ji Min picked one of the charcoal pencils that she found in a small case along with the sketch pad. Grasping the pencil tightly, and taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes to see the beautiful young man's face again. And she began to draw…

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

SEOUL

True to his word, Song Woo Bin had showed up at Ji Hoo's house that morning to bring Ji Hoo to Jan Di. As the Don Juan arrived in front of Ji Hoo's house, he found Ji Hoo was insisting on driving while Secretary Jun was loudly refusing, and insisting that Ji Hoo bring a driver.

"Damnit Secretary Jun! I want my motorcycle keys!" Ji Hoo said angrily.

"I'm sorry Young Master. You cannot drive a motorcycle in this condition…"

"The car then." Ji Hoo argued.

"Only with the chauffeur." Secretary Jun answered, standing his ground.

He had watched over Yoon Ji Hoo since he was a little boy – and over his cold dead body would he let the young man endanger himself this way. Moreover, while Dr. Yoon Seok Young, for reasons of his own, had stayed away from Ji Hoo, he expected Secretary Park to regularly report to him and watch over his grandson. While Dr. Yoon looked like an ordinary old man, he did not become the President of Korea for nothing — and under the gruff and slightly scruffy exterior, the air of authority and the power he commanded had not diminished over the years.

"Chill Secretary Jun." Woo Bin said as he came up to the two. "I got this. I'll go with our Ji Hoo and drive him today."

Secretary Jun looked askance and slightly suspiciously at Woo Bin — he did not quite trust the young Prince Song's driving as he tended to think that traffic rules were mere suggestions. But it was a lesser evil than allowing the Young Master to drive on his own and he did not see Yoon Ji Hoo backing down, so he bowed and stepped back.

"Let's go bro." Woo Bin said as he slid into the driver's seat of his car. Ji Hoo got into the passenger's seat and buckled in. The men spoke very little on the drive, and when Woo Bin pulled up to the street in front of what had been the Geum's dry cleaning business, Ji Hoo practically jumped out of the car.

The alarm bells in Ji Hoo's heart went wild. The storefront was empty, the door padlocked from the outside. Without waiting for Woo Bin, Ji Hoo quickly ran up the stairs to the second floor where the Geum's lived over the shop.

The first thing he noticed was a big "FORECLOSED" notice taped to the front door, but hoping beyond hope that someone was still there, he frantically started banging on the door. Woo Bin had caught up by this time, his face grave and worried as well. He pulled Ji Hoo from the door to pacify him when a voice broke into the empty hallway.

"They're gone."

The two mean quickly turned around to see an elderly lady standing in the doorway behind them.

"If you're looking for the Geums, they left a few days ago."

"All of them Ahjumma?" Woo Bin asked politely.

"Yes – in a big hurry too. I guess they were hiding from all those people trying to collect money….you're not one of them are you?" The old lady asked suspiciously.

"No Ahjumma. We're friends of Geum Jan Di…and we need to find her right away. Did they tell you where they were going?" Ji Hoo said, a desperate note in his voice.

"I'm sorry Young Master, they didn't say."

"Is there anyone else in the building who would know?"

The old lady shook her head, while everyone in the building who knew them agreed that Jan Di and Kang San were wonderful children, hard working and polite — they all shared a very low opinion of the shiftless, gambling addicted Il Bong and his money grubbing wife Go Hee. They couldn't understand how those two had produced the two nice children. Some people had had a huge laugh when the men from Shinhwa Bank came to padlock and foreclose thE Geum's premises — to think that Geum Go Hee had been bragging for months that Jan Di's engagement to the young Shinhwa heir would be announced any day now.

"All that they told me was that they were moving to some relatives and that they would send word about where they went once they had settled in case Jan Di called." The elderly lady explained.

"Geum Jan Di wasn't with them?" Woo Bin asked, his hackles rising, exchanging a look of alarm with Ji Hoo.

"I didn't see her with them, only the little boy and Il Bong told me specifically that Jan Di would try to find them through me. She had left for one of her jobs — that poor girl…always working."

"Gomawo Ahjumma." Ji Hoo bowed politely and handed his business card to the old lady. "Thank you for your help. If Jan Di or the Geum's call, can you please call me right away? It's very important that I find Jan Di right away."

"What do you want with her young man?" The old lady asked shrewdly, she certainly wouldn't help him if he meant to do any harm to Jan Di! The poor girl had been through enough with her crazy mother and lazy father!

"I want to marry her." Ji Hoo said resolutely, looking her in the eye, his face serious and clearly sincere.

The old lady nodded and entering her house, closed the door behind her.

Woo Bin recovered from his shock…did Ji Hoo just say "marry her"? He looked at his friend quizzically and Yoon Ji Hoo, as if expecting this told his friend. "I love her Woo Bin. And if she will have me, I want to be with her for the rest of my life, forever. And if you had been along like me for most of your life, wouldn't you want forever to start as soon as possible?"

Woo Bin nodded. Yoon Ji Hoo was crazy…or was he? He wondered how it felt to be that sure of someone — and unbidden, a face came into his mind. He shook his head to clear it and left to make a telephone call. It was important to find Jan Di's family. Calling his head of security, Woo Bin deployed them to start searching the local bus stops and terminals in Seoul.

Ji Hoo said nothing further — he felt somewhat relieved that Jan Di was just off somewhere on a job and if they found her parents, he was sure they would at least have some idea where she went. But still, something didn't add up. What kind of job would require her to leave so suddenly, with not even a word or a goodbye?

He broke out of his reverie when he heard Woo Bin end his call. Motioning Woo Bin over, Ji Hoo pointed to the logo printed on the Foreclosed sign.

"I need to speak to him. This reeks of that evil mother of his." Ji Hoo saiid with gritted teeth.

"Are you sure bro? You know how he is…and after Macau…" Woo Bin didn't have to finish the sentence. Gu Jun Pyo had cut off all contact with the rest of F4 after they had left Macau.

"I would call the devil himself if it helps me find her." JI Hoo said as he dialled.

The line rang. And rang. And rang until it was transferred to voicemail. Ji Hoo clicked the line shut and dialled again. Over and over and over. He wouldn't quit until Gu Jun Pyo answered.

It must have been the eleventh or twelfth call when finally the line clicked open and Gu Jun Pyo picked up the call. Ji Hoo turned on the speakerphone so that woo Bin could hear the conversation too.

"What do you want?" the Shinhwa heir's voice and tone were as frigid as the coldest day in winter but edged with an anger that would have made anyone with a sense of preservation tread carefully.

"Where is Geum Jan Di?" Ji Hoo asked quietly.

Gu Jun Pyo gave a sardonic laugh, the sound harsh and barking over the line.

"What? Lost your little girlfriend already? Even for you Yoon Ji Hoo, that's pathetic." Jun Pyo said with a bitter laugh. "How would I know? Since when did I ever keep track of trash that I've thrown away."

"Jun Pyo…" Woo Bin said warningly,

"Oh so you're there too Song Woo Bin, you traitor?" Jun Pyo said. Woo Bin flinched, but Ji Hoo shook his head at him, warning him not to answer. They needed to keep Jun Pyo on the line.

"Look Jun Pyo — she's disappeared and the only lead we have is that your bank foreclosed on their home. Is this your mother's work again?" Ji Hoo asked.

"Well — those commoners…you know how irresponsible they are. How am I supposed to know this? I don't deal with stupid little things like foreclosures. Maybe they skipped out on their debt. What do you expect from trash like that?"

This time it was Woo Bin who put a vise grip on Ji Hoo's arm, warning him not to rise to Jun Pyo's bait.

Ji Hoo drew a deep breath. He had to calm himself. Jan Di's safety was relying on it.

"Look Jun Pyo, I am begging you…if not for Jan Di's sake and whatever you may have felt for her — but for ours. We have been friends since we were children. I have never asked you for anything, but now, I am begging you. Please help me find out what happened to her." Ji Hoo swallowed his pride, as he told Woo Bin, he would do anything for Jan Di - he would even beg from his own worst enemy.

Jun Pyo was silent for a long time. And the two feared that perhaps he had left the room or hung up. Until finally, he spoke and this time, his voice was just tired and emotionless.

"Fine. I will see what I can do. But after this Yoon Ji Hoo, you and I are even. We are over."

And then Jun Pyo ended the call. Looking out over his little casino empire in faraway Macau, Jun Pyo could see nothing. Just a memory of a face streaked with tears. And then his best friend, holding the very same girl.

With a snarl he threw the phone at the wall and with a sick satisfaction, heard the sound of breaking glass.

Opening his office door so hard that it banged into the opposite wall, Jun Pyo's secretary paled and startled with surprise.

"Get me Secretary Park. Now." Jun Pyo barked and then slammed the door shut.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Mianhae Ji Hoo-yah" Woo Bin apologized to Ji Hoo, bowing very deeply. Woo Bin wanted to kick himself. He should have allowed Jan DI to leave on her own that morning. Or at the very least, made her tell him about the new job. "I should have stopped her that day…"

"No Woo Bin. You know how she is when she's determined to do something — you couldn't have stopped her even if you tried to." Ji Hoo replied wearily. "I know something is wrong — I just wish we could figure out where this new job is. I don't believe Jan Di would leave just like that without telling me…".

It was almost nighttime and they had already been every single place they recalled Jan Di having ever worked but to no avail. No one had heard from her or knew where she was. It was as if she just vanished off the face of the earth.

"Let's go talk to Chu Ga Eul." Ji Hoo said.

But as if he didn't hear his friend, Woo Bin seemed to go off on a tangent.

"There's only one place left to go." Woo Bin said. "We should head to porridge shop and speak to Chu Ge Eul. I mean…we have a reason! A good reason! After all, she's Jan Di's best friend and if Jan DI needed help, I'm sure she would call her. It's not like we're just bothering her for no reason..we have a good reason to go there. I'm sure Yi Jeong wouldn't freak out over that right? And Ji Hoo, I think we really need to talk to her..

"Woo Bin!" Ji Hoo barked at his friend and looked at him sharply.

"We should definitely go. I think Ga Eul can help us. After all she's the one who called me to tell Jan DI about her parents that night..

"SONG WOO BIN!!" Ji Hoo finally shouted, cutting off Woo Bin's monologue

"What?" Woo Bin responded, looking offended.

"I wasn't disagreeing with you." Ji Hoo replied, finally letting loose the smirk he had been trying to keep in check.

Woo Bin smiled ruefully. Embarrassed by his rambling but partly happy to see Ji Hoo smile, even for just a moment after their fruitless search.

"Aish." He grunted, unlocking the car and getting into the driver's side "Just get in the damn car."

Author's Note :

Hello guys! I hope you liked this chapter – lots happening and the new characters are making it a bit more complex to write. Remember Ji Min = Jan Di.

Hang on tight — it's about to go wild.

Disclaimer : I still own nothing of BOF. But this plot and this story are mine. Pardon the typos. I lost the original chapter and this is what survived. (I hate Word for IPad — it ate my documents and spit it out god knows where.)


	11. Chapter 11 Needle in a Haystack

Chapter 11

Needle in a Haystack

The porridge shop was bustling and busy as usual. The bell over the door jangled as the two young men entered and for a few seconds, the din quieted as the patrons paused to look at the newcomers. By their confident stance, their expensive clothes and the air that spoke volumes about who they were it was at once obvious how they clearly didn't belong in the humble eatery. After a few seconds, the hush had converted into a buzz of discreet whispers, nudges and not so discreet come-hither glances directed at the two handsome young men by the various clusters of women in the shop.

Chu Ga Eul who was having a very busy night, being the lone server since Jan Di's absence looked up to check what was happening, her arms full of a tray of dishes. Her eyes flitted toward Yoon Ji Hoo, looking immaculate as always in his trademark cream and white clothing, standing out from the more colourfully dressed patrons. But it was the handsome, wavy haired man with the slightly sardonic smile directed at her that made Chu Ga Eul flush. Her forehead creased into a frown — of course he would come on a night when she was stressed and harried. She thought of her probably disheveled hair, the red apron which was probably covered with the detritus of serving food for the last four hours and wondered if she had anything on her face — he was studying her so intently. Ga Eul immediately served the table with the food she was carrying (hoping she had actually served the CORRECT table…) and hurried over to the entrance where Song Woo Bin and Yoon Ji Hoo were hovering.

"Song Woo Bin-ssi, Yoon Ji Hoo-ssi." She greeted the new arrivals with a small bow and motioned them to follow her to a small table somewhat secluded from the dining area to shelter them from the curious stares. "I'm sorry we're so busy right now…may I get you anything?" She asked.

"Good evening Ga Eul-yang." Ji Hoo returned her bow politely. "We need to speak to you about Jan Di. We'll wait until you're free."

"Why don't I get you something to eat while you wait?" She asked.

The two men nodded and took their seats. Ga Eul moved away, her back as straight as a ramrod, feeling eyes boring into her as she hurried to the kitchen. Woo Bin gazed at her retreating form speculatively, she had not addressed him directly in their short interaction and seemed to be avoiding his gaze.

(Had he done anything stupid to offend her recently? The last thing interaction he had had with her was that last telephone call. He didn't say anything stupid did he? Aish, this girl. So frustrating…and so unlike all the other girls he knew…did she not realise how many women in Seoul would die for an opportunity to speak to him? Even if it was just about…porridge?)

Ji Hoo looked curiously at his friends pre-occupied face. "Yah Woo Bin — what are you thinking about so hard? You don't want to strain yourself."

"Very funny." Woo Bin replied, tearing his gaze away from the girl and looking slightly disgruntled. For himself, he wondered what had happened to Yoon Ji Hoo, it was as if the 4th dimensional alien had been slowly transforming into a human ever since he got together with Geum Jan Di. He was teasing and making jokes now?

Before he could say anything further, the girl in question returned carrying two bowls of porridge which she set gently in front of them.

"Gomawo." Woo Bin said, touching her hand. Ga Eul jumped as if burned and with a flustered nod, hurriedly left again.

"What the hell is with her?" Woo Bin grumbled. "It's like I have a communicable disease or something…"

"Woo Bin-ah, were you expecting her to fall in your arms? Swoon?"Ji Hoo said with another one of his annoying (now that he thought about it) smirks. "You forget she's not like the girls you usually go out with."

"Go out? Who said anything about going out? I'm just here as a favor to you and to find Jan DI. That girl could be a 500 pound bearded lady and I wouldn't care…"

Ji Hoo just broke out that irritating smirk again and said nothing, starting to eat. Realising he had not eaten anything since early that morning, Woo Bin decided to ignore his friend and began eating as well.

The store gradually emptied as the two men quietly finished their meal. After about half an hour, they saw Ga Eul approaching them.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Sunbae." She apologized, pointedly directing her gaze at Ji Hoo only. "Jan Di isn't coming in today…she hasn't come in since Tuesday."

"That's why we're here Ga Eul-yang." Woo Bin interrupted. "Do you know where she is? We went to her house and it's been taken over by the bank. The neighbor said they moved to live with some relatives but they said Jan Di didn't leave with her family."

"I thought that must have happened…" Ga Eul said sadly. Looking up at the expectant faces before her, she explained. "Jan Di told me last week that the bank was only giving them a week to get out of their house and that she needed money to pay off the loan sharks who were after her dad…"

"What?!" JI Hoo exclaimed sharply "Why didn't she tell me?!"

Ga Eul placed her hand over his, trying to calm his agitation. Woo Bin noticed and had to fight the urge to slap Ji Hoo's hand away, he gritted his teeth in annoyance and said nothing, waiting for Ga Eul to continue.

"You know how she is…but Master lent her some money and she said with what she was going to get the rest from her new job, they would have enough to pay off the loan sharks."

"How much?" Ji Hoo asked.

"They owed six million won, Master could only lend her three. But the new job…"

"New job?" Woo Bin asked, zeroing in on the one unknown factor in this entire mystery.

"I assume she left for that job Sunbae — yesterday morning, her little brother Kang San came running in here and told me he only had a few minutes, he had run off from his parents to deliver a message from Jan Di. He told me to tell Master she wouldn't be coming in for a while, he said a man had come to take her to hew new job in Jeju and for me to make sure to tell Yoon Ji Hoo that she would call him and let him know where she was as soon as she could…"

"Jeju?" Yoon Ji Hoo asked, part of him in relief…it would be relatively easy to find her there. After all, between Yi Jeong, Woo Bin and his family, they probably owned at least half the real estate in Jeju. "What job? Where? What about the rest of her family?"

"That's the strange thing Sunbae."Ga Eul narrated "We were working on Tuesday when this man just introduced himself and offered Jan Di a job as a swimming coach in a school in Jeju– he said he would check her credentials with Shinhwa first but Kang San said that the same night, a man came to their house and told their Omma that he was offering Jan Di the job but she would have to leave first thing in the morning. That was the morning when Guem Go Hee called me and I called Woo Bin Sunbae."

"And the parents?" Woo Bin asked, exchanging a worried look with Ji Hoo. Something sounded off in this whole scenario.

"I don't know Sunbae…all that Kang San said was that they were leaving for the islands to live with some relatives. He just kept telling me over and over that before the man took Jan Di away, she made sure that he would get a message to you through me." Ga Eul was near tears now. Saying it aloud, she realised how little they knew about Jan Di's new job, her new employer and why the rush to get her out of Seoul.

"What was the man's name? Do you recall?"

"Uh…Kim..Kim Woo Si? I am not sure Ji Hoo Sunbae, I think that was it – but he didn't speak to us long. He did call me my phone to ask for Jan Di's address. That must have been when he talked to her parents." Ga Eul hurriedly pulled out her telephone and scrolled through the history – showing Ji Hoo and Woo Bin the unlabelled number that had called her.

"Woo Bin – you'll call the airports?" Ji Hoo asked and Woo Bin nodded.

"Ga Eul, please give this to your Master to pay for Jan Di's debt. If it's not enough, please let me know and I'll give you the rest." Ji Hoo said, pulling a sheaf of bills from his wallet and pressing it into Ga Eul's hands. He then excused himself and sprinted quickly outside, pulling out his phone to make a call.

"Hung Jo-ssi? I want you to send our men to all the ferry, bus and train stations and the airport — anything that goes to Jeju. I need to find a girl, Geum Jan Di. I'm sending you her photo. And have another team locate this guy —- Kim Si Woo — I realise that it's the most common name in Korea. Try in Jeju first…he would be travelling with the girl." Woo Bin said into the phone. Ga Eaul just looked on.

"Where did Ji Hoo Sunbae go?" she asked after Woo Bin had ended his own call.

"He's probably tracing that number." Woo Bin explained.

"You can do that?" Ga Eul asked in wonderment. "Like…without the police?"

"If you own majority stocks in KorTel you can." Woo Bin replied absently, scrolling through his contacts.

Ga Eul's jaw dropped. Yoo Ji Hoo owned one of the bigggest telecoms companies in Korea and her friend was refusing to accept a telephone from him? From her own boyfriend? Her boyfriend who owned the freaking telephone company? Ga Eul shook her head, wishing Jan Di was not so proud and stubborn..all of this could have been avoided if she had just told Ji Hoo about what happened to her family.

Just then, Yoon Ji Hoo returned.

"Ga Eul-yang, do you know where Jan Di was having her phone fixed? If she got it back before she left, my tech guys can trace her through that number too."

"Uhmm." Ga Eul looked worried. She didn't relish the thought of having to be the one to tell Ji Hoo. She looked uncertainly at Woo Bin, who only nodded encouragingly.

"Ah…Ji Hoo Sunbae…the thing is…Jan Di..she sold her phone. To buy food for her brother – the other kids were teasing him in school about never having lunch money and Jan Di's mom had already sold everything else…I don't think we can trace her through that phone.."

Ji Hoo felt his knees almost give out and he sank heavily into the seat next to Woo Bin. He wanted to scream. To hurt himself even — what kind of firefighter was he that he couldn't even help the girl he loved? That he didn't even know how badly off her family was?

Woo Bin's phone rang shrilly, breaking the silence in the now empty porridge shop.

"Yobeseoyo" he answered. "Ne. Got it. We'll be there in ten minutes."

"That was Yi Jeong, Jun Pyo called him with a message for you — he wants to meet us at the F4 Lounge."

Jumping up, Ji Hoo sprinted for the door and so did Woo Bin, dragging Ga Eul by the hand.

"Wait..whaaat?"

"You're coming with us." Woo Bin declared as Ga Eul looked like she was about to protest. "And Chu Ga Eul?" He tossed over his shoulder as she vainly tried to free her wrist from his firm hold.

"I don't bite."

She just looked at him, face flushed with a frown — it looked like she was going to explode from annoyance or embarrassment and Wo Bin had to stifle a laugh.

D

"Unless you want me to."

That actually seemed like a fun idea to try he thought.

As the three ran out of the store after a brief wave goodbye, Master picked up the telephone and called an old friend.

"Yoon Seok Young-ssi? I think we need to talk."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ok." Ji Hoo said into the phone, running his fingers through his hair for the thousandth time that night. "Keep trying and let me or Secretary Jun know if you find anything."

"What?" Woo Bin asked as he looked up expectantly from the sofa where he and Yi Jeong were seated, Ga Eul sitting uneasily between the two, occasionally throwing awkward glances to either side of her.

"Nothing." Ji Hoo said to them "The number was a pre-paid throwaway card. And my guys called in favours from colleagues too. They're checking every single Kim Woo Si who has a telephone subscription in Korea. They've found a few thousand of them — and about 400 in Jeju."

He was so frustrated that he wanted to hit something — and Yoo Ji Hoo had never been a physical nor a violent person. Unlike the other three who vented their anger or frustration, Ji Hoo usually chose to withdraw into himself when he was angry or upset, keeping an impassive façade to show the world while sorting through his emotions on his own. But tonight, he would have welcomed a fistfight with Jun Pyo..

"It's here." Yi Jeong suddenly announced. IT was a photograph of man in his early forties, to mid-thirties — but what was extraordinary about the man is how ORDINARY he looked. He had that kind of generic, middle aged, pleasant face that you would pass by in the crowd.

Jun Pyo, for reasons of his own, probably still angry at Ji Hoo, had called Yi Jeong instead. He had told Yi Jeong that the foreclosure of the mortgage had been ordered by his mother but other than that, she seemed to have had no participation in Jan Di's disappearance. However, Jun Pyo and Secretary Park had managed to get a copy of this photograph from the CCTV footage at the Shinhwa office, coming out of Madame Kang's suite of offices — no one seemed to know who he was or why he was there – only that he met Madame Kang that night.

"Do you recognise him Ga Eul-yang?" Yi Jeong said, inching closer to Ga Eul on the sofa to show her the photo.

"It looks like him…that Mr. Kim..but I can't be sure.."

Woo Bin noticed that unconsciously perhaps, Ga Eul moved slightly closer to him and leaned infinitesimally away from Yi Jeong. He looked at his friend and noticed a flash of — was it anger? – cross the potter's eyes and tried his damndest not to smile triumphantly. He knew the two had been out on a date, and that for a while Ga Eul had thought herself in love with Yi Jeong. He also knew that nothing had happened between the two because for reasons known only to Yi Jeong, despite his own observation that Cassanova was also developing feelings for the girl, Yi Jeong had rejected Ga Eul.

Woo Bin knew he was being an insensitive asshole — thinking about Chu Ga Eul when they should all be worrying about Jan Di — but having Ga Eul sitting so close to him was upsetting his equilibrium. And he was really getting irritated by the dark looks Yi Jeong kept throwing his and Ga Eul's way. He had had his chance and rejected the girl, he had no reason to act like some protective caveman.

"Well if it's him we'll find him." Ji Hoo said looking at the same photo that Yi Jeong had forwarded to him and Woo Bin. "The airline will have cctv footage from the airport – if this man was in any of our flights, they will find it."

"Our flights?" Ga Eul whispered to Woo Bin glancing at Ji Hoo who was once again making calls.

"Yah. He owns most of the stock of SeoulAir also." Woo Bin explained. He almost laughed at the look on Ga Eul's face. Jun Pyo was of course the wealthiest among them, but the Yoons were a close second. The Sos and the Songs, with Gu and Yoon clans represented the top 5% of the richest people in the country — Yoon Ji Hoo just chose to be low key about his wealth, quite the opposite of Gu Jun Pyo.

As for him, his family would probably need never work again for at least the next ten generations — but knowing where a lot of that wealth came from, Prince Song was not really about to brag about his money. But he did not hesitate to use the power that came with it.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was quiet and frustrated group of four that sat in the F4 lounge after a fruitless day and night of searching for Jan Di.

Woo Bin's men had reported that there was absolutely no record of any "Kim Woo Si" or "Geum Jan Di" on any passenger manifests for the ferries to Jeju. And no one one had seen them in any of the trains or buses leaving Seoul.

Despite Ji Hoo's connections with the telecoms companies and the airlines, there was also no record of Jan Di or Kim Woo Si on any flight leaving Seoul in the last three days. Ji Hoo had ordered 100 people to drop everything and work overtime to identify each of the thousands of Kim Woo Si telephone subscribers by their records, but none matched the photograph of the man sent by Jun Pyo, were the wrong age or were not even in Korea in the last few days.

Yi Jeong had reached out to connections in the Education Ministry – a partnership made possible by the So's generous donations to local schools over the years — and had confirmed that there was no Kim Woo Si who worked for any school, public or private, in the Jeju district.

"You guys go on home Woo Bin-ah, Yi-Jeong-ah. And please make sure Ga Eul-yang gets home safely — I'll stay here in case there's information…" Ji Hoo said wearily. He was exhausted and the hopeless expressions on his friends faces fed the growing fear inside him.

Woo Bin and Yi Jeong exchanged looks, they had been friends for so long that most of the time, they could predict what the others would say without a word being said. One of them would have to stay – they needed to be there to support their friend until was resolved.

"Come on Ji Hoo-yah, I'll drop you off. We all need a shower and a bed and some food — whoever has information can call our mobiles. There's no need to stay here." Yi Jeong tried to convince his friend.

"I can't. What if…" Ji Hoo said, his voice dull and lifeless. Woo Bin and Ga Eul looked helplessly. They too were worried sick now. With every single call, the more they feared that something terrible had happened to the Wonder Girl — if there was an innocent explanation to her disappearance, the vast resources that the F3 had already deployed would have turned something up by now.

The police had been no help — despite Ji Hoo's heated arguments and please. Geum Jan Di was an adult they said and there was no evidence of foul play. People decided to leave everyday they told him — and unless her parents had reported her as a missing person, they could not help.

They had searched hospitals, emergency services, police stations, morgues — and to Ji Hoo's immense relief, there was no accident victim, no unclaimed body, no crime victim matching Jan Di's description.

But it was as if she just vanished into thin air.

Ji Hoo felt the emptiness creeping over him — and Woo Bin knew just by looking at the man he had called a friend since he was five years old, that Ji Hoo slowly vanishing, bit by bit, as if his spirit was being siphoned away, as each telephone call repeated what they all already knew. Jan Di was gone. And he was afraid that unless they found her, Ji Hoo would be gone too.

Ga Eul came over to Ji Hoo and embraced him tightly, fighting the tears that she knew would just add to his distress and fear. "We will find her Sunbae, or she will find her way back to you. I know this in my heart." The quiet, lovely girl whispered. She knew Jan Di. And she knew that if she could, she would come back to Yoon Ji Hoo. "But you need to take care of yourself, to stay healthy and strong so you can keep looking for her."

For a while, no one said anything further, until Ji Hoo stood up and nodded to Yi Jeong, gathering his discarded jacket and telephone. "Let's go."

Yi Jeong looked at Woo Bin and Ga Eul. - "You will take her home?"

Woo Bin nodded and helped Ga Eul into her jacket as Ji Hoo and Yi Jeong left the F4 lounge.

The door had barely closed shut before the tears she had been holding back started falling and Ge Eul slumped down into the sofa, sobbing as if her heart was breaking.

Woo Bin was nonplussed for a few seconds — he had never known how to deal with drying females, he usually started running far, far away the moment tears made their appearance. But something about this girl —

"It's my fault Woo Bin Sunbae.." Ga Eul sobbed "I should have stopped her…I should have made her check out that job first…it was just that she was so worried…I could have found the money somehow…or I should have forced her to tell you or Ji Hoo Sunbae…"

Ga Eul's worry, the sleepless night, her guilt over not helping Jan Di overwhelmed her and her sobs redoubled.

With a deep sigh, Woo Bin sat on the sofa and gathering her tiny frame into his arms, drew her unto his lap, rubbing soothing circles on her back and smoothing her hair from her face. They stayed that way for a long time.

He too felt the guilt overwhelm him. He had been the last to speak to Jan Di on the morning she disappeared. He blamed himself for not insisting that he bring her home — for taking her glib explanation about a new job at face value. He felt Ge Eul's sobs wrack her small body and her arms tighten around his neck as she continued to cry.

"Stop crying little one." He cooed softly into her hair, "we'll get through this." She lifted her tearstreaked face to his and in her eyes he saw a desperate hope, like she thought he could save the world — and he thought…for you I would try.

And unable to resist what he felt any longer, he lowered his face to hers and kissed her. Pouring into that kiss the words of reassurance and comfort that he could not say aloud.

It was ironic he thought.

In the midst of Yoon Ji Hoo, who had sworn to love only Jan Di, losing the girl he loved, he Song Woo Bin, who had sworn never to fall in love, had found his.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

To his surprise, Ji Hoo saw several vehicles parked in the circular driveway around his house. He wasn't expecting anyone and his staff were so discreet that any vehicles would be parked in the rear service entrance to the house.

"Expecting guests?" Yi Jeong asked, pulling over behind two darkly tinted Escalades parked in from of the Yoon mansion.

Ji Hoo shook his head confusedly. "Is it Jun Pyo?"

"Can't be – he was leaving Macau for France when I spoke to him yesterday — they're opening a new hotel — and he would still be in transit." Yi Jeong replied, just as baffled as his friend.

"Well I suppose we'll find out soon enough." Ji Hoo said laconically, seeing the double doors of the house open and Secretary Jun come out flanked by two men in dark suits and approach the car.

"Young Master, come with me right away please." Secretary Park said, bowing politely to Ji Hoo and Yi Jeong. The potter looked curiously at the two burly men flanking Secretary Jun, they looked like they meant business, but he wasn't getting that sick sense of being in danger.

"What is it Secretary Jun? Who's here?" Ji Hoo asked.

Secretary Jun looked uncomfortable for a second, until he schooled his face into his usual unflappable mask of calmness. "Someone who can help us find Miss Geum. It's easier to explain inside Young Master."

Ji Hoo nodded and with a glance at Yi Jeong followed Secretary Jun into the house.

As he entered the living room, he a vaguely familiar figure in a dark suit standing in front of the portrait of his parents over the mantle, his back turned to Ji Hoo. The man, sensing he was no longer alone, turned to face the newcomers.

"Harabeoji!" Ji Hoo exclaimed in shock, taking a step back.

"Joesonghamnida Yoon Ji Hoo." The old man said, getting to his knees and bowing deeply to Yoon Ji Hoo.

The room went quiet — from amazement and shock. The old man, scruffy Harabeoji from the porridge shop, Ji Hoo's estranged Grandfather but also — Dr. Yoon Seok Young, former president of Korea was bowing before this young man. Dr. Yoon had cleaned up from his usual scruffy clothing, and in his dark suit, looked every inch the statesman that he was. His two burly bodyguards hovered nearby. He had been keeping a low profile the last 15 years, but being who he was, the government had refused to let him dismiss his security detail, especially after suspected terrorists had planted a bomb in his car 15 years before – leading to the death of his only son and daughter-in-law, Ji Hoo's parents. It was his guilt and remorse and the misguided belief that his grandson would be safer away from him that he had stayed away from Ji Hoo's life — keeping watch over him from a distance and trusting his care to loyal people primarily Secretary Jun, making sure he needed for nothing. After Ji Hoo's reaction to seeing him again for the first time in 15 years, he now deeply regretted his decision fifteen years before.

Ji Hoo was in shock — in the panic over Jan DI, he had temporarily forgotten what had happened with his grandfather. Seeing him apologising formally, bowing low before him, Ji Hoo's natural good breeding and kindness won out over the residual anger he felt for the old man. He too knelt down and unable to control his own emotions, found himself sobbing.

"Joesonghamnida Harabeoji…it was my fault..my fault that my father and mother died..I distracted Appa while he was driving…it's my fault that you lost your son. I am so very sorry."

Ji Hoo stayed low, feeling his sadness and fear and guilt washing over him in waves. He stayed this way until he felt sturdy arms wrap around him.

Yoon Seok Young felt his heart tear – he had not realised until now that Ji Hoo had blamed himself for his parents' death. So many years had been wasted. And he knew that for the rest of what was left of his life, he would spend his days making it up to him, this beloved grandson.

"No Ji Hoo-ah, don't blame myself — it was because of me that they died. Because someone wanted me dead and your parents suffered for it instead. Mianhada. I am so sorry my son."

Yoon Seok Young felt like he was holding his breath for eternity, afraid that Ji Hoo would reject him, until he felt Ji Hoo return his embrace. They remained on the floor until Secretary Jun helped Yoon Seok Young up, a wide smile on his usually expressionless face. "Finally, Mr. President." Was all that Secretary Jun said, shaking the old man's hand vigorously and smiling at Ji Hoo.

"I lost your parents Yoon Ji Hoo, and I nothing I can do will ever bring them back." Dr. Yoon said, holding Ji Hoo's face between his gnarled old hands, "But I will find Geum Jan DI and bring her back to you if it is the last thing I do in this life."

—————————————————————

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry guys, no Jan Di/Ji Min in this chapter, otherwise it would have turned out too long and unwieldy. I hope you enjoyed F3 flexing their muscle — too bad it was not enough to find Wonder Girl. I know this can be a frustrating chapter and maybe too much detail on the efforts the boys are making to find Jan Di - but I wanted this to be as realistic as possible so I thought about all the possible ways a missing person could be located. I also wanted to emphasise how frustrating it must be for Ji Hoo to keep failing but also to show how he refused to give up on Jan Di.

I am currently loving the Ga-Bin side-ship though, I think Woo BIn is such a fun character to write and the story would be too heavy and serious without him. I think he adds a bit of levity and fun to the mix. Sorry to the SoEulers — I deliberately stayed away from this ship because there are already so many stories in this fandom but I promise to try give them their own story another time if I ever have an idea that all the other talented SoEul authors have not yet explored.

Pleases read and review! I would love to hear what you think about the reunion.


	12. Chapter 12 Hansel and Gretel

Chapter 12

Hansel and Gretel

PARIS

Ji Min had just returned from the Korean embassy, hoping that someone there could help her, but she had been turned away. The embassy staff barely paid attention to her as she could not even produce documents to prove she was a Korean citizen. A kindly ahjumma had taken a few minutes to check their database of missing persons reported but there were none that matched Ji Min (Jan Di), she wanted to help but they were understaffed and she had no more time to spare. And certainly, how could they possibly help her if she didn't even know her name? She was about to ask the girl to leave a contact number but when she turned, the girl had gone and the next person in line had come forward.

Out of options, Ji Min returned to the Traiteur and what remained of her day off. Il Sung and Il Jin, both of whom had grown fond of the kind, hardworking girl, looked at her worriedly, concluding from her downcast appearance that her visit to the embassy had not gone well. Ji Min just bowed politely to them and went to her little room – taking her art materials with her, she decamped to the little park across the street, her art always made her feel better and certainly, she needed to feel better today.

After a few minutes, Ji Min's spirits lifted and she smiled. Each day that she woke, she thanked God that at least, she had found these two people who treated her kindly. Even Kwang Si had grown less harsh over the weeks as Ji Min had proven that she was a hard worker and an honest one. But it was il Sung and Il Jin who made Ji Min feel that she was not so alone.

It had been over two months now into her stay with them — Il Sung and Il Jin had presented her with a small cake — "It was on sale at the patisserie noona! Last one since they were closing — I'm sorry the icing is a little smudged…" Il Jin gleefully announced "Harabeoji and I decided that sine we don't know your real birthday, that today will be your new, pretend birthday!"

"And we have a present for you!" Il Sung said. Ji Min stopped her painting and smiled up at the two.

"Gomawo Harabeoji, Il-Jin-ah…you didn't need to…"

"Well..don't feel so bad, my friend Jean Paul from the stationary store down the street actually practically just gave these to me — they weren't expensive, they were on clearance anyway…and I noticed that you were running out of paints.."

Ji Min's eyes sparkled. She had found so much comfort in her painting — it was as if she could temporarily wash away her fear and the feeling of being so lost and alone when she painted.

A customer, one of the amateur artists who can be found all over Paris, had noticed her sketches one day when Ji Min accidentally left her sketch pad at the table where the lady sat down.

"May I?" The lady asked, when excusing herself, Ji Min came to retrieve her pad.

"Oh but these are wonderful!" The lady exclaimed, looking at the various sketches. "Have you ever tried transferring them to oils" she asked Ji Min who shook her head shyly.

"Oh no Madam!" Ji Min protested. "I don't think I am good enough for that."

Saying no more, the lady ordered and left.

A few minutes after the customer vacated the table, Ji Min came to clear it and noticed that the lady had accidentally left her wallet at the restaurant. Ji Min ran quickly and was able to catch up to the lady before she reached the Metro station. The kindly old American lady gratefully thanked Ji Min — all her cash, IDs, credit cards and travellers checks had been in the wallet and the lady was pleasantly surprised that Ji Min had returned the wallet when it would have been easier — and certainly more profitable — if the girl had kept it.

The lady invited Ji Min to rest and have a cup of coffee at a café nearby and in her broken English, Ji Min explained what had happened to her and talked about how much she loved to sketch. Returning to the restaurant, Ji Min was dismayed to receive a severe scolding from Kwang Si and her pay was docked for an hour's work.

However, two days later, the American lady, Mrs. Wilson returned to the Traiteur and asked for Ji Min. "I am returning to the US tomorrow and I realised I won't have space in my luggage for all this" she explained, handing Ji Min a big shopping bag of paints, small canvasses and other material. "You have wonderful talent!" She told the girl who was speechless with gratitude. "I hope you pursue your art. I'm sorry the canvasses are all small, because you know, I paint miniatures..but I hope you can use these.."

Since then, Ji Min could be found sketching and painting every time she had a few spare moments. And even Kwang Si could not complain because Ji Min was always done with her work when she did her artwork.

Ji Min was brought back from her reminisces when she heard Il Jin speak to her.

"That is beautiful noona!" Il Jin said, peering over her shoulder.

Ji Min was painting the park and the Metro station exit, the Art Deco red lettering of the Metro sign contrasting against the shades of grey and green of the trees.

"And he is there again!" The little boy said delightedly, pointing to the small figure of a young man playing the violin, this time leaning against one of the posts holding up the "Metro" sign. He had made it a game between him and Ji Mini to look for the figure of the mysterious violinist who appeared in every single canvass Ji Min painted.

Ji Min still had no idea who he was, while he haunted her dreams, she still could not not remember — but what she knew with all certainty was that HE was the reason she needed to get back to Seoul as soon as she could.

"How many do you have now Ji Min?" Il Sung asked curiously.

"I have nine now…ten when I finish this one Harabeoji…" Ji Min replied.

"Well…they are certainly beautiful…even if I don't know anything about art…would you consider selling them?" the old man asked.

Ji Min looked at him curiously.

"I…I don't…would they be good enough?" She asked anxiously.

"Well…I have an old friend who is a Bouquiniste near Saint Michel, almost across the Notre Dame…Jacques sells paintings to tourists..I could ask him if you want."Il Sung offered.

Ji Min was torn — part of her rebelled against the thought of selling her paintings because "He" was in all of them — that mysterious young man whose face haunted her every minute and who she yearned for though she did not know why. She did not earn much money from the waitressing job, and she knew that if she had any chance of finding out who she was, she needed to return to Korea. But how she would do that with no papers, she didn't know — but she DID know she would need money to do it.

Between the pages of her sketchbook, she had found two photographs of her and this very same mysterious beautiful young man. There was nothing special about the photos, they were casual snapshots of them sitting on what looked like a staircase, nothing to indicate if they were a couple, they could have been just friends or even siblings — but the look in his eyes in the photograph where he had his faced turned to her — it called to her. Ji Min, twisted the bracelet around her wrist. It was a simple silver bracelet, with a small heart pendant engraved with the words "Be Mine" on one side, like those old fashioned valentine candy hearts and on the other "J J" – and she made a decision.

"Well, we have nothing to lose by asking him right?" Il Sung said encouragingly.

"Yes Noona! I'll go with you! I know Monsieur Jacques, Harabeoji took me to see him a lot of times!"Il Jin said excitedly. Ji Min smiled fondly at the little boy. All that she had seen of Paris so far had been with il Jin.

The ever cunning Kwang Si, not one to miss the opportunity to get something for free, had allowed Ji Min to take Il Jin on small outings — free babysitting on the days when the restaurant was closed and she was too lazy or too busy playing mah-jong with her friends in Chinatown to watch her son. Soon enough, Ji Min learned how to navigate the Metro with little Il Jin who despite being only 8, was a street smart little boy and the two looked forward to their little adventures together.

"Look Ji Min, why don't you just bring like half of them? He will return them to you if they don't get sold…but hey, what if this makes you rich and famous! Maybe you'll move to an apartment overlooking the Champs Elysees and forget your old friends!" Il Sung teased.

Ji Min thought about it and realised that she had nothing to lose.

"Ne Harabeoji…I will go."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

SEOUL

It had been weeks — which had now stretched into two months —- of constant searching and with each dead end, Yoon Ji Hoo's hopes of ever finding Jan Di sank lower and lower. The police had long ceased to be of help. He was told in the initial days that the chances of finding an abduction victim alive – if indeed she had been abducted – was unlikely after 48 hours of disappearance. It was long past that now. But Ji Hoo persisted — he would know if she was…gone. He would feel it in his firefighter heart.

Yoo Ji Hoo looked around the spacious study of his house – not so spacious anymore as his Secretary and his Grandfather's men had set up something a like a command center constantly filled with people bustling about, Woo Bin's men coming and going at all hours and of course the rest of F4 minus Jun Pyo but with the addition of Chu Ga Eul now almost permanent features.

Right now however, only Ji Hoo and his grandfather remained. It had become a habit for them to stay in this room most of the time — forging a tentative new bond after the long span of 15 years had separated them. Ji Hoo sat quietly, his violin next to him – he found himself playing Jan Di's song over and over, until he was sure his grandfather was probably sick of it. But somehow, it gave him comfort, and that was a rare commodity nowadays.

It was a Friday afternoon and Ji Hoo felt the day coming to an end, Grandfather had sent everyone home except for Secretary Jun and his ever present security detail who were so discreet they seemed to be practically invisible — nothing much would happen on a weekend when government and all private offices were closed and their search for information would halt until the work week began again.

The last lead had been three weeks before, when Woo Bin's men reported that a family of three matching Jan Di's family's description had boarded a bus from Seoul to Pohang and then a ferry bound for Ulleongdo. Woo Bin, Yi Jeong and Ji Hoo had immediately boarded the Yoon family helicopter to see them — and thinking about his confrontation with Jan Di's parents still made Ji Hoo's blood boil in anger.

"I already told you it was a job in Jeju! And they agreed to advance three months salary — we really needed that money! How could we say no?" Go Hee argued

"And you just let your 18 year old daughter go off with a stranger?" Ji Hoo asked incredulously, trying to keep his rising anger from colouring his voice.

"She is an adult!! And at least that stranger was giving us money! I don't hear you Young Masters offering to help us! You have no idea what it's like to be poor —- coming here all high and mighty and judging us..." Go Hee argued defiantly.

"How much?" Ji Hoo asked through gritted teeth "How much did you sell her for?!!"

Woo Bin grabbed his arm, and Yi Jeong the other, afraid that his anger would overwhelm him.

Taking a thick sheaf of bills from his bag, Ji Hoo approached Geum Il Bong, his eyes as cold as Woo Bin had ever seen them.

"Here. Take this – it should be more than double what you sold Jan Di for. And in exchange, if I…WHEN I find her…I want you to stop depending on her to support you. She's your CHILD, not your slave. And if you can't take care of her properly, my Grandfather and I will."

Without a protest, and with an avaricious gleam in her eyes, Geum Go Hee took the money.

Woo Bin nodded to Yi Jeong who led Ji Hoo away to the waiting helicopter. Woo Bin took a long last look at the door that Guem Go Hee had hurriedly shut, as if afraid that Ji Hoo would change his mind and take the money back.

And so the trip to Ulleongdo was another dead end and a big part of Ji Hoo's hope dwindled away. He had hoped Jan Di's parents would give them an idea of where to look for her — it had been their last lead and they had learned nothing more than what they already knew.

He pondered what to do next —raking his hands through his hair in frustration when he heard the telephone ring and then his Grandfather giving instructions in staccato. Ji Hoo stood hurriedly and quickly approached his Grandfather, a question on his face.

"That was the Minister of Transportation — they went through their security records — Jan Di's passport and wallet were found near a restroom in Incheon Airport. The CCTV footage caught a man dumping them and leaving."

He signalled Ji Hoo to stay quiet as he continued the conversation.

"Much appreciated Minister — we checked all the commercial flights and she wasn't on any of them….but she could have possibly.."

Ji Hoo's mind went on overdrive…yes, they had checked commercial flights — but not the cargo planes or the private jets.

"Thank you." Yoon Seok Young said into the telephone. "No need to contact them, I will call the Minister of Foreign Affairs directly. She is my future grand daughter in law, we will appreciate any information you can help us find. Gomawo."

It was blur of activity after that — as Grandfather and Secretary Jun called the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to as alert various consulates and embassies that the former President's future granddaughter-in-law was missing, possibly abducted.

Meanwhile Ji Hoo called Woo Bin who had less..legally salubrious means…to get information, pointing him to the possibility that Jan Di could have been on a private jet, or a chartered flight or a cargo aircraft.

It was a tense few hours until Woo Bin called Ji Hoo.

"We've found something."

"Where is she?" Ji Hoo asked tensely.

"There were only three possible aircraft that could have possibly carried her off. One to Japan, one to Paris and one to Shanghai."

"And you know this because?"

"We found out that the crew of these particular planes laid grease money to skip the cargo inspection — they could have just been in a hurry to leave…"

"OR they were carrying cargo they didn't want anyone to see." Ji Hoo concluded.

"Gomawo Woo Bin-ah..I need to tell Harabeoji to concentrate our search on those three places right away." Ji Hoo paused, feeling at least relieved that there was now some direction to their search. "I owe you one…"

"Bro – you owe me your first born child with Geum Jan Di after this…" Woo Bin joked, embarrassed as always when he was caught doing a good deed. For the first time in a long while, he was glad of the very same underworld connections he had been so ashamed of. It was not so bad to carry tainted blood if it could save a friend.

"Meanwhile — you haven't left that house in weeks bro! You need some food, some soju and some sun — or Geum Jan Di won't even recognise you when we find her" Woo Bin said jokingly.

Hearing nothing on the other end, Woo Bin's voice turned serious. "Don't lose hope Yoon Ji Hoo — this is not over. We WILL find her."

The line dropped and Woo Bin let out a sigh and poured himself another glass of scotch.

Yoon Ji Hoo was becoming more and more withdrawn as the days had passed and while Woo Bin and Yi Jeong constantly tried to be there for him and to keep his spirits up, Prince Song too was tired — a big part of him was afraid that they would never find Jan Di, that she was lying dead at the bottom of some body of water. But he couldn't find it in himself to say the words aloud knowing that it would break Ji Hoo. The strain of trying to stay positive and supportive was wearing on him he thought as he looked into the swirl of alcohol in the glass he held loosely. But he hap promised Jan Di that he would take care of Ji Hoo -as if such a promise had needed to be made in the first place — and he always kept his promises.

He poured himself yet another glass. It was Friday night and he was alone in this seedy, rundown club which really was a front of his family's less than legal side business. He wanted to wash his hands – or take a really long shower. Getting the information Ji Hoo needed wasn't as easy as making phone calls that he wanted Ji Hoo to think — or Yi Jeong or Jun Pyo for that matter. It involved having to get…physically violent with a recalcitrant informant. And while his men could have handled it on their own, Prince Song felt he needed to send a message that this matter involved something very close to HIM. So while he eventually got the information he needed, part of him was depressed and disgusted. He was like one of those idols — you could apply gold leaf and cover it completely — but underneath, it was still just dirt.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Unlike the his three friends who were born to families with not only vast wealth but also generations and generations of good breeding and social status, he was 3rd generation nouveau riche – great-grandson of a former bodyguard who used his wits, brawn and utter lack of fear of the authorities or for that matter - death, to beat, bribe, maim, and yes — kill his way to the top of the underworld. While his grandfather had more brawn than brains, he had had the foresight to properly educate Woo Bin's grandfather and to marry him off to a girl from an impoverished but respectable family. Song Woo Bin the First, after whom the current Prince Song was named, was as smart and savvy as he was ambitious and ruthless. He began to diversify his family's interests, buying legitimate businesses primarily to launder the money they earned from more questionable means. He then made sure that he married off his son and daughters to families even closer to the top of the social strata than his own wife, beginning the gentrification of the Songs.

By the time Prince Song was born, the family had acquired a thin veneer of respectability – enough to get Woo Bin into the prestigious Shinhwa Academy. But despite their wealth and his friendship with F4, Woo Bin's family was still viewed with a certain suspicion — accepted at face value but not quite acceptable enough for high society to stop making snide whispers behind their backs. Their sons were more than happy to party with Woo Bin and their daughters were more than happy to invite him into their beds (behind their parents backs of course) but Woo Bin grew up sceptical of the "high society" where he never quite fit in.

Even at five years old, he knew his family was somehow different. In kindergarten, he noticed that his mother was different from the other mothers – that she talked a bit louder, the clothes she wore were somehow different and that while the other mothers were never rude to her face, she never seemed to be invited to the lunches that the other mothers had when their children had play dates after school.

By sheer accident, he became friends with Yoon Ji Hoo, Gu Jun Pyo and So Yi Jeong. Ironically it started when he saw a curly haired little boy forcibly trying to grab a wooden toy robot from a little tawny haired boy who had dug his heels into the sand of in front of the swings and stubbornly refused to let go despite the little curly haired imp's shouting and threats. It was about to come to blows when another little boy came running to the struggling pair and tried to pull them apart, getting hit by the crossfire in the process.

"Well?! Are you just going to stand there like a dummy?!" The third little boy (who little Woo Bin who have thought was a girl because of his pretty face and dimples, if not for how hard he seemed to hit and the boy's uniform he was wearing) grinned at him and invited him to join the fight.

The hitting looked like fun to Woo Bin. His father's bodyguards had been teaching him to fight but he had never actually tried it out on someone his own size yet…so with gusto, Song Woo Bin jumped into the fray, just randomly throwing punches at whoever was closest.

After a few minutes, a couple of panicky teachers came running out into the playground alarmed that the children of the three most prominent families in Korea and the son of the rumoured mob boss of the country seemed determined to kill each other during recess.

The fight was broken up and four very defiant little boys were made to sit together in the corner — with a threat that their parents would be called if they started fighting again.

"Well wasn't that fun?" the dimpled boy said "I'm So Yi Jeong."

"You're all stupid and now we're in trouble." The golden haired little boy said, glaring at the three of them and clutching his robot even closer. Despite giving as good as he got during the fist fight, the golden boy had somehow managed to both defend himself, give the curly hair boy a few good hits and still keep his toy.

"You fight good." The curly haired boy said to Woo Bin. "I guess you can play with us."

Woo Bin grinned at them.

"I'm Gu Jun Pyo" the curly haired boy said "And this is my best friend Yoon Ji Hoo." Pointing to the boy with the robot. "He's like an alien sometimes but he fights good too."

"You got dirt on my jacket…nanny will be mad, she said it's Army..Arma..Amani..." Yoon Ji Hoo said with a pout, but then brightened up "But you hit Jun Pyo real hard so here — you can borrow my robot if you want."

And this was the beginning of their 15 year friendship.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Young Master?"

Woo Bin looked up from his glass to see his chief of security standing in front of him. Or there could have been three of him? The bottle of scotch he had drank was making his vision a little tricky.

"Yes?"

"There's a person to see you."

Woo Bin lifted a brow in skepticism – he was in one of his family's less reputable clubs, in a rundown part of town, not the best neighbourhood and not one known to Yi Jeong or their other friends.

"Send them away Hung Jo — or deal with them." He said, dismissing the man.

"Young Master — you may want to see her." Hung Jo said.

Woo Bin was irritated until he realised… "Her?"

"The young lady from the porridge shop." The burly man explained. (The one whose calls you've been avoiding but also the one you've had my best guy tailing for the last couple of days).

He realised Woo Bin was drunk — but he also realised that there was a big possibility he would be fired when Woo Bin got sober if he allowed this person to go without letting his boss know.

Woo Bin straightened up.

(Crap. What was she doing here? How did she even find him?)

"Ok send her in."

A few seconds later, Hung Jo ushered in a very angry looking Ga Eul Yang.

"Ah…Chu Ga Eul-yang…to what I owe this…"

SLAP

Hung Jo flinched at the loud sound and automatically moved to restrain the angry girl. Woo Bin signalled his Chief of Security to back away – and Hung Jo discreetly left the room (although he would have loved to have been a fly on THAT wall, he thought as he quietly closed the door behind him and stood guard.)

"You…you…monkey face!!!" Ga Eul screamed at him.

The slap had sobered Woo Bin quite a bit, but not enough to show him the wisdom of keeping his amusement in check.

"Monkey face?" He repeated, stifling a laugh.

"Shut up! You stupid man!"

"I must say your choice of epithets leaves much to be desired Ga Eul-yang. But on that note what did I do to deserve that?"

"You can't just kiss me and then avoid me! What the heck was that? Why?" Ga Eul asked, eyes flashing and not seeing any humor in the situation.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry?!!" she screeched. Woo Bin was taken aback – he had never seen her this way. The Ga Eul he knew had always been so demure…and proper…and ladylike…and not a screaming banshee...not like this. What happened to the shy, blushing little angelic girl?

"I apologize Chu Ga Eul. I should not have forced myself on you when you were upset — and I certainly shouldn't have kissed by best friend's girl."

"Best friend's girl?" Ga Eul asked, eyes flashing dangerously.

"Are you not So Yi Jeong's?" Woo Bin asked

"Am I what?" she asked, then realisation dawned on her face.

"You stupid stupid stupid man!" Ga Eul screamed coming at him again, hand raised to slap him again. "What makes you think…what gives you the right to decide who gets me…am I a toy?!! I don't belong to anybody! I decide THAT for myself!"

Anticipating this, Woo Bin caught her arm in mid swing and gently lowered it to her side.

"Don't do that again Ga Eul-yang or I might forget who you are…and some people would actually consider that…foreplay." He smirked.

Ga Eul's mouth dropped open.

(Stupid men! How dare he! How dare he and his stupid friend decide who could have her? Like she had no say in the matter?!)

Incensed, she threw her shoe at him and limped away — trying to keep her dignity as she walked out the door. Then realising that she couldn't walk very fast this way, she took off the other shoe, contemplated it for a second and threw it at Woo Bin again before she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Woo Bin just looked at her in awe. And then burst out into loud, booming laughter. The girl had some nerve.

"Young Master?" Hung Jo came in having almost been run down by Chu Ga Eul in her haste to leave. "Are you ok?"

"More ok than I've been in a while Hung Jo-ssi." Woo Bin replied with a grin. Suddenly he didn't feel quite so depressed or so dirty or so sad anymore.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Gu Jun Pyo smiled his fake smile for the cameras, shook a few hands and schmoozed his way through the throng of paid media hacks, local celebrities invited to step up publicity and curious tourists hoping to catch a glance of the goings on. Meanwhile his mother's flunkies parted a way through the crowd gathered to witness the official ribbon cutting of the newest Shinhwa Boutique Hotel. It was across the bank of the Seine, overlooking the Palais Justice and also, from the windows of each lavishly appointed suite, a view of the Cathedrale de Notre Dame. Newspapers were already calling it the hottest new hotel in Paris.

As it should be, Jun Pyo thought, he certainly had spent enough time, money and effort into it, he hoped the witch would be pleased and leave him alone. But now that it was finally done and open, Jun Pyo was just sick and tired of it. He had been ordered to move on to the new project and the witch had summoned him back to Seoul. He knew what was waiting for him there — his sister Jun Hee had called to warn him that his engagement was to be announced as soon as he returned to Korea. She told him the girl's name — not that he cared. She wold be bought and sold just like he was. And the merchandise need not know other merchandise.

Feeling like a caged animal, Jun Pyo wanted to get away from the crowd, to get away from his disaster of a life…to just be alone for a while. Thankfully, the arrival of yet another celebrity distracted the crowd — certainly the starlet was more interesting than the taciturn Shinhwa heir who refused to give anything more than the obviously canned lines his media rep provided him. Jun Pyo waved away his bodyguards "I just want to go for a walk — I'll take a cab back to the hotel or call you to send a car." He said curtly.

It was cold and there was chilly wind blowing off the Seine. Gu Jun Pyo found himself walking along the Seine near the Pont De Tournelle. The hordes of tourists had thinned out a little, most them milling about the area near the Notre Dame, gawking at the burned spires. The Bouquinistes* were doing a brisk business selling their usual mishmash of touristy paraphernalia of cheap Eiffel Tower statuettes, keychains and old books. Jun Pyo walked slowly, enjoying the strange sort of peace in being alone in the middle of a noisy crowd – he was desultorily looking at the quaint little stores when a small painting caught his eye — it was different from the usual somehow and coming closer he realised what it was.

The painting was very small, no more than the size of 4 by 6 photograph – it was of the Notre Dame, from the perspective of the banks of the Seine – but what caught his eye was the figure of a violinist in white, his face turned partly away from the painter. Jun Pyo stopped and picked it up — it looked familiar somehow.

"Bonjour Monsieur – tu aimez ça?" (Hello sir, do you like that?) the old bookseller asked him. "

"Oui Monsieur, combien?" (Yes, how much is it?) Jun Pyo asked, picking up the painting. For some reason, the violinist in the painting reminded him of Ji Hoo….and her. And he wondered if Geum Jan Di had been found or if she was still in hiding.

"20 Euro Monsieur"

Looking at the painting even more closely, Jun Pyo could have sworn the man in the painting was Yoon Ji Hoo yet he wondered how on earth this could have happened. A small part of his brain taunted him that perhaps, it was his guilt over the way they had parted that was haunting him…but it was too much of a coincidence — and in Jun Pyo's world, there were no coincidences.

"Savez-vous qui el l'artsite?" He asked (Do you know who the artist is?)

"Oui Monsieur - En fait, elle a l'air d'être asiatique, comme vous." (Yes sir, in fact, she is Asian like you.)

Again, Jun Pyo felt disconcerted – but how could it be possible? But then again, there wannabe artists from all over the world came to Paris…it would not be unheard of for a young Asian artist to be living and painting in France. Still, the similarity to Ji Hoo was too marked to be discounted.

"Avez-vous encore de ses peintures?" (Do you have any more of her paintings?)

"Ah! Oui! Oui!" (Yes, yes.) the old man said, bustling behind the display to pull out a small stack of four other paintings and handing them over to Jun Pyo.

Jun Pyo looked at the paintings, almost in shock — in each of the paintings, the violinist could be found and without a doubt, it was Yoon Ji Hoo. The artist only signed an initial in the corner, a stylized letter "J" — and Jun Pyo's heart beat faster.

"Savez-vous óu la trouver?" (Do you know where to find her?)

"Non Monsieur, perdonne. Elle vient seulement quand elle a de nouveaux peintures à vendre, je ne sais jamais quand." (Sorry sir. No. She only comes when she has new paintings to sell, I never know when.)

"Je vais acheter tout cela. Et s'il vous plaît appelez-moi si elle revient." (I'll buy all of these and please call me if she comes back.) Jun Pyo said, taking out his wallet and paying the old man, scribbling his mobile on the back of a business card.

"Oui Monsieur" (Yes sir.) The bookseller said happily – this was his best sale the whole day and he could not wait to tell his old friend Il Sung that the little girl's paintings had sold so well.

Jun Pyo looked thoughtfully at the paintings again and with a nod at the old man, flagged a passing taxi and got on quickly. He sat in the cab holding his phone — deliberating if and who he should call.

"Aish!" He exclaimed, exasperated. He was not ready to speak to Ji Hoo again — and he had vented his anger at Woo Bin in the last conversation…but he could always call Yi Jeong.

"Yobeseoyo?"

"Paris." Jun Pyo said without preamble.

"What? I know you're in Paris you doofus. What about it?" Yi Jeong said — there was the loud thumping of bass music in the background and an unintelligible sentence from a sultry female voice in the background — Jun Pyo deduced that it was around 1 AM in Seoul and that Cassanova was up to his usual womanising and clubbing activities.

"Is Woo Bin there?" Jun Pyo asked, Yi Jeong sounded a bit drunk and he didn't want the message lost in the bottom of a glass of scotch or in the cleavage of the bimbo who sounded like she was in Yi Jeong's lap that very moment.

"Aish. Don't ask me about him…" Yi Jeong replied, his voice tight. What was up with his old friends Jun Pyo pondered. Yi Jeong was the last one he had spoken to – not after that disastrous conversation with Woo Bin and Ji Hoo months before.

"Fine." Jun Pyo replied curtly. "Just tell Yoon Ji Hoo to look in Paris —- and I'm sending him something by courier — it should be there in a day."

"What?!" Yi Jeong said, suddenly sober, pushing the bottle blond on his lap off to the side. She pouted and walked off. "Jun Pyo! Jun Pyo! Damnit!" The asshole had hung up on him. Downing the last of the scotch in his glass, Yi Jeong rose to put on his coat and walked out.

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"Paris." Yoon Seok Young said, as he shook his grandson awake.

Yoon Ji Hoo startled and sat bolt upright – he had, as become his habit over the months that Jan Di disappeared, fallen asleep in the couch in his study again, near the control center.

"What Harabeoji?" He asked, still disoriented.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs – they've found a very short piece of footage showing someone who likes very much like Jan Di at the Paris consulate. Apparently they sent her away…those fools…she couldn't produce a passport and they told her they couldn't help her. And they have no contact information for her — but Secretary Jun and I checked – it looks a lot like her. "

"I'm going." Ji Hoo said as the door opened and Woo Bin came running in.

"Paris" Woo Bin said — slightly out of breath.

(He had beaten at least three red lights to get here and man! That almost-car-chase with the police was awesome….the Lotus was worth every won he paid for it, maybe he should get another one? Maybe in red? Those highway patrol though… so annoyingly persistent…)

Yoon Seok Young and Ji Hoo looked at him in surprise, the call from the Ministry had come in barely ten minutes before and Woo Bin could not have possibly intercepted that. Or could he? President Yoon's bodyguards approached, suspicion in their eyes — did the Song clan actually manage to penetrate their firewalls and bug phone lines?

"Whoa…whoa..easy gentlemen." Woo Bin said warily lifting his palms up.

Turning to Yoon Seok Young and Ji Hoo, he answered the unspoken question in their eyes. "Jun Pyo called Yi Jeong early this morning — he thinks Jan Di is in Paris. And he said he was sending Ji Hoo-ah something by courier today."

"Secretary Jun?" Yoon Seok Young said, "You'll make the arrangements?"

"Yes sir." Secretary Jun said.

"I want the private jet on stand by." Ji Hoo said. Secretary Jun startled – it usually took at least half an hour of arguments to get Yoon Ji Hoo to use the plane – he preferred the anonymity of taking one of their commercial flights, always uncomfortable with what he felt was an ostentatious display of wealth.

"Yes Young Master. I'll advise the hangar right away. What time do you think you wish to leave?"

"As soon as whatever Gu Jun Pyo has sent has arrived…so anytime today." Ji Hoo "Woo Bin-ah — are you coming with?"

"Of course…I wasn't planning on going to Europe but c'est la vie!" He said cheekily.

Ji Hoo smiled, the first real one Woo Bin had seen in the last few months.

"Hey..what happened to your cheek? Did you and Yi Jeong get into another bar fight?" Ji Hoo asked, noticing that Woo Bin looked slightly disheveled and had a small bruise on his cheekbone.

"Ahhh…nothing…just a small run in with a shoe…a pair of them actually." Woo Bin replied, self-consciously touching his face.

"Care to explain that?" Ji Hoo asked.

"Nothing important." Woo Bin said airily, waving his had dismissively and bowing to Yoon Seok Young who had announced he was going off to pack.

"Ah Yoon Seok Young-ssi?" Woo Bin asked somewhat ruefully.

"Yes Song Woo Bin?" President Yoon paused at the doorway and asked, an amused glint in his eyes.

"Uhmmm sir…there may be a couple of highway patrol coming up to the house in a few minutes — do you think Secretary Jun could get rid of them?"

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Author's Note : Here we go folks! This was one of my favorite chapters to write because Ji Hoo and Jan Di are so close to finding each other again. Also, because I got to write about my favorite city in the world, even if it is just for a little bit.

The Bouquinistes, if anyone is curious, are antique booksellers who operate out of wooden boxes along the banks of the Seine. Of course these days, they are as equally likely to sell souvenirs and paintings rather than just antique books and prints. One of my favorite things to do in Paris is to walk along the Seine browsing through these small stalls. We were in Paris when the spires of the Notre Dame burned and it was so sad to see the Notre Dame so changed. I put Jun Pyo there because I was imagining myself doing what he was doing.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, all 48 reviews ha ha ha. I'm glad this little story is not going off into the void.

(Also, I love Woo Bin, he makes me happy )

And last but not the least — thank you Ethylique fo the French translations for the first few chapters :) I am so thrilled that a French person is reading my story — ha ha ha - I claim to have been french in a past life and PAris is my most favorite place in the world! Merci beaucoup Ehtylique!


	13. CHAPTER 13 SNOW WHITE AND ROSE RED

Chapter 13

Snow White and Rose Red

They had waited as long as they could for Jun Pyo's package to arrive – and when at 4 pm, the courier had still not come, Ji Hoo made the decision to just go. After all, he reasoned, whatever was in the package would not change his decision to fly to Paris as soon as possible.

Yi Jeong, who had been roused from sleep by Woo Bin had precious little to add. "If you're going to Paris for Geum Jan Di, I'm coming with you." The potter insisted.

He then rather sadly advised Ji Hoo that Jun Pyo had not told him what he was sending or what it had to do with Jan Di, or even why he though Ji Hoo should fly to Paris.

"I'm sorry Ji Hoo-ah, that's all he said before he hung up on me."

"Some friend you are…" groused Woo Bin over the speakerphone while Ji Hoo continued to grill Yi Jeong about the latter's conversation with Jun Pyo.

"Yah asshole. You're a fine one to talk." Yi Jeong said angrily.

"What did I do to you?" Woo Bin retorted equally pissed.

"Other than stealing Ga Eul you mean?" Yi Jeong said sounding very hostile.

"She'd have had to have been yours to begin with." Woo Bin replied equally angrily. "As I recall, you very clearly told us…and HER..that she wasn't your type and that you didn't want her."

"I never said I didn't want…" Yi Jeong began.

At this point, Ji Hoo just shook his head and signalled Woo Bin that he was leaving the room though the angry Prince Song didn't even notice.

"Yah. Where were you last night So Yi Jeong? Weren't you out whoring as usual?" Woo Bin pounced.

Yi Jeong was quiet, unable to deny Woo Bin's accusations. Truth was, he HAD in fact slept with the blonde — they were all blondes or redheads now — all Caucasian and as different as possible in looks from a certain long, black haired girl who continued to haunt him.

"I thought so." Woo Bin said triumphantly when after a minutes of silence had dragged on.

Despite his anger at Yi Jeong though, Woo Bin knew he could not withhold information from Yi Jeong.

"The plane leaves in two hours. If you're coming with us, be at the Yoon Hangar before 6." Woo Bin said and then hung up.

Yi Jeong groaned and shaking awake the sleeping blonde next to him, handed her the tiny pieces of fabric that apparently constituted her clothing. "Sorry to kick you out sweetheart." He told her. "I need to go to Paris."

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As soon as the Captain had turned off the "Fasten Seatbelts" sign, Secretary Jun signalled the flight attendant to re-align their seats into conference mode. She handily rotated the seats to face Yoon Ji Hoo and then lifted up the small conference table in between the four seats, two across. The plane, like everything else the Yoons owned, was built for comfort as well as business and other than the slight humming of the engine, they could have been in any boardroom in the world.

Woo Bin and Yoon Seok Young got up to sit across Ji Hoo and Yi Jeong, (still hungover from a combination of too much scotch and too many blondes) sat beside his friend, ignoring the scalding looks Woo Bin was shooting his way.

Ji Hoo's hands shook as he lifted the small package handed over by Secretary Jun and tore open the packaging. It had apparently arrived at the Yoon mansion only half an hour after they had left for the airport and immediately had been dispatched to the hangar. The small rectangular objects were swathed in bubble wrap and bore a short, unsigned note in Jun Pyo's handwriting. "Try The Bouquinistes near the Notre Dame" was all the note said.

Ji Hoo felt the breath leave his lungs when he lifted the wrapping — before him was a small painting of the Notre Dame and in the right lower corner, leaning against the bank, was…himself, playing the violin. Quickly, he looked through the remaining paintings — they were all of Parisienne landmarks, the fountain in Saint Michel, a Metro exit, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc D'Triomphe – all very common scenes found in most of the paintings aimed at being sold to tourists all around the city. Except for one thing — in each painting there was a figure of a violinist and it looked remarkably identical to the sketch Jan Di had made of him in Macau on that night they confessed to each other at the Kwan Yin monument.

"Whoa." Woo Bin whispered, peering more closely at the paintings which Ji Hoo had laid out in a row on the table in front of him. "That looks like…"

"A lot like…well…you." Yi Jeong finished the sentence looking at Ji

Hoo. "But…how? How do we know it's even by Jan Di?"

Ji Hoo stood up quickly and opened the overhead bin and took out his violin case. Without a word, he opened the case and took out a small clear plastic sleeve, pulling out two small sheets of drawing paper which he also put on the table, next to the paintings.

"It's her. I know." Ji Hoo said quietly.

Yoon Seok Young, Woo Bin, Yi Jeong and Secretary Jun turned their gaze to the table – and there next to the paintings were pencil sketches of Yoon Ji Hoo, identical to the violinist in the paintings except for the medium.

"Whaaa…where did you get these?" Woo Bin asked the question on everyone's minds.

"She drew them for me — that night in Macau. I know you probably don't believe me and maybe Jun Pyo has sent us on a wild goose chase…but I know..I know it's her and I need to find her."

Yoon Seok Young covered Ji Hoo's shaking hand with his —- "I believe you my son – and we will find her."

Ji Hoo then stood and walked to the rear of the plane, taking the window seat farthest away from everyone and stared broodingly out the window, wishing that the plane, and time, would carry him faster.

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After over 11 hours on the plane, the four weary travellers finally arrived at the Charles De Gaulle Airport where they were immediately met by members of the Korean diplomatic corps and whisked through immigration. In a matter of minutes, they were escorted to waiting limousines by President Yoon's bodyguards who had been dispatched by Secretary Jun on an earlier flight.

"Well this is certainly even better than travelling with you Yoon Ji Hoo.." Woo Bin remarked, stretching out his arms as he settled into the limousine, they had left Seoul at 6 Pm and with the 7 hour time difference, it was only almost 11 PM in Paris and the city was just coming to life. "Remind me to leave you behind next time and bring Harabeoji instead." Prince Song joked.

Yi Jeong smirked as he opened the wet bar and poured himself a drink – it was about an hour drive into the city given the traffic and he needed something to relax — avoiding conversation AND eye contact with Woo Bin in an enclosed space for the last 11 hours and now this…

Luckily, for security reasons President Yoon's security had decided that Yoon Seok Young and Secretary Jun should ride a separate limousine to the Plaza Athenee where they would be staying. Otherwise, Yi Jeong would have felt a bit disrespectful about drinking in front of Ji Hoo's Harabeoji. Being hungover AND stuck in a small (well…not really SMALL) airplane with his ex-best-friend the traitor did not make for the best combination.

Ji Hoo ignored both Woo Bin and Yi Jeong, instead pulling out his phone.

"Yoboseoyo?"

"Seo-hyun-ah?" Ji Hoo said softly. "I need your help"

"Of course! What can I do for you? Are you in Seoul? Isn't this too early for you to be awake?" Min Seo-hyun asked, a smile in her voice, knowing very well of Ji Hoo's sleeping habits.

"Actually, I..well…we are in Paris. Woo Bin, Yi Jeong, I and..my grandfather." Ji Hoo replied.

"I see." Seo-hyun said quietly, hiding her surprise and knowing there was a story behind this.

"Jan Di has been missing for a couple of months and she was last seen in Paris – I'm here to find her."

"Missing?" Seo Yin asked in surprise. She had occasionally ran into Jun Pyo in Paris,she knew he was here for work but he had never mentioned anything. But then again, she realized, he had not mentioned Jan DI at all – which should have struck her as strange.

"It's a long story – but are you free to see us?" Ji Hoo asked.

"Arasso. Shall we meet tomorrow? I'll take the afternoon off from work."

"Where?" Ji Hoo asked "We're staying at the Plaza Athenee but I can send a car for you."

"No worries – I am meeting one of my old law professors near the Sorbonne, why don't we meet at A. Lacroix Patissier? I remember it was your favorite last time." Seo Hyun suggested.

"Ne. See you at around 4? I need to go to the Korean embassy first."

Ending the call, Ji Hoo leaned back into the soft leather of the seat and was about to close his eyes when he noticed Woo Bin and Yi Jeong both looking at him speculatively.

"Was that a good idea?" Yi Jeong asked.

"What?"

"Meeting up with Min Seo Hyun?" The potter continued.

"Why not?" Ji Hoo asked exasperatedly. "She's lived here for years. Maybe she can help."

"Seriously?" Yi Jeong asked again, ever the skeptic.

"So Yi Jeong, that ship sailed and sank a long time ago — we are just friends now." Ji Hoo said tiredly.

"Friends?"

"Yah So Yi Jeong. Just friends." Woo Bin interrupted. He for one had a ringside seat to Ji Hoo and Jan Di's so far ill-fated romance and if that wasn't enough, having been the closest to Yoo Ji Hoo over the past two months, he knew the depths of Ji Hoo's worries, and fears and feelings for the girl. "Unlike some people, there are men who CAN be just friends with a woman."

"And you are implying what?" Yi Jeong said caustically.

"Nothing." Woo Bin said turning away and looking at the passing sights as they drove through the city. Idly, he lifted his hand to his cheek, still feeling the tenderness in the small bruise — and he thought, I guess I owe her a pair of shoes.

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"Really Harabeoji?" Ji Min said excitedly "All of them?"

"Yes! All of them – and Jacques told me that the buyer wants to know if you have new ones! Too bad you missed Jacques call – but he said he owes you 80 Euros – its what he got for all five paintings, minus that old man's commission of course!" Il Sung said happily.

"Anyway, he wants you to bring over whatever other paintings you have left when you collect your money." Il Sung continued, clearly thrilled for the girl who had grown as close to him as a real granddaughter would have had he had one. "I told him you were my granddaughter so that old bastard wouldn't cheat you."

"Gomawo…gomawo Harabeoji!" Ji Min said bowing, her cheeks pink in excitement. "I will go today — Kwang Si-ssi is sending me to pick up Il Jin's new school uniforms. May I go? May I bring Il Jin with me? He'll be home by 3."

"Of course!" Il Sung said, "It shouldn't be too busy today as it's a weekday."

"Thank you Harabeoji! I promised him I would buy him an ice cream at Berthillon* when I actually sold something, I didn't realise I actually would do it! Is there anything you would like too Harabeoji? "

"Omo! Berthillon! How fancy!" The old man said, his eyes twinkling with affection – she who had so little, and here she was so willing to share what little money she had with them. "Don't worry about me Ji Min-ah, I am supposed to be watching my diabetes anyway — you young ones have fun and don't let Il Jin wander off, you know how he is…"

"I'll watch him Harabeoji! We can leave as soon as I clear up after the lunch crowd." Ji Min replied happily.

A few hours later, Ji Min and Il Jin made their way to Monsieur Jacques' spot near the Notre Dame, fighting through the throngs of tourists who were as usual, fighting for space to take their selfies. Luckily, Il Jin could speak French as well as Korean, having been born in Paris with a Korean speaking family and could easily translate for Ji Min, in between intermittent licks to his chocolate ice cream cone.

"Monsieur Jacques said he will call Harabeoji when the client has come to buy your new paintings."

Ji Min smiled widely as the old bookseller nodded benignly at her.

"Pouvez-vous rester et rencontrer le client? Je peux l'appeler maintenant." Jacques said, looking at the little boy to translate.

"Ji Min noona? He wants to know if we can wait — the client said Monsieur Jacques should call him if you came — maybe he wants to meet you?" Il Jin asked the girl.

"We might get in trouble with your omma — she said to come right back home." Ji Min replied. Over the months, her relationship with her boss had improved somewhat, but Ji Min still had a healthy fear of Kwang Si and her lightning quick ability to deliver a slap or a pinch whenever she was displeased and Ji Min had learned that life was more peaceful if she just did everything Kwang Si wanted.

"Désolé monsieur, nous ne pouvons pas rester. Mais Ji Min et moi pouvons revenir quand les peintures auront été vendues." (I'm sorry sir, we can't stay. But Ji Min and I can come back when the paintings have been sold.)

"Ah! Oui! A bientot!" Jacques replied waving as the two quickly crossed the street. Pulling out his telephone, the bookseller dug around his things and found the slip of paper and called the young man who had purchased the last set of paintings.

"Bonjour Monsieur. C'est Jacques Argent, le Bouquiniste." He said by way of introduction.

"Ah, Oui Monsieur. Ca va?" (Oh yes. How are you?) Jun Pyo asked. It had only been a couple of days since he had purchased the mysterious J's paintings.

"Les peintures que vous avez achetées la dernière fois? La jeune femme a apporté plus." (Those paintings you bought last time? The young lady has brought more.)

"Merci. Ne les vendez à personne. Un de mes amis viendra les acheter ajourd-hui." (Thank you. Don't sell them to anyone else, a friend of mine will come to buy them today.)

Hanging up the call, Jun Pyo scrolled through his contacts and dialled.

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"Ji Hoo-yah!" Min Seo-hyun called out from her table by the bay window. She had been waiting for a minutes and had seen the handsome young man alight from the luxurious town car which had pulled up and enter the patisserie. She waved him over and she noted how much Yoon Ji Hoo had changed since the last time she had seen him over two years before. If possible, he was even more eye-catching than he had been then — the pretty boy had grown up into a handsome man and not a few women in the patisserie took notice but Yoon Ji Hoo, as usual, was oblivious to the looks being cast his way.

Ji Hoo saw her from the door and smiled – and several women in the café did a double take only to look away in disappointment when they saw him walk towards the model-esque beauty sitting by the window. Seo Hyun rose as Ji Hoo arrived at the table and kissed each of his cheeks in greeting as they held hands.

A waiter arrived and after their order had been delivered, Ji Hoo turned his full attention to gorgeous woman sitting across from him.

"You haven't changed at all Seo Hyun-ah. Still as beautiful as ever." He said, giving her one of his rare smiles.

"And you my Ji Hoo, have changed a lot." Seo Hyun said, smiling wistfully at him. They were good friends now and after that one night when they had made love for the first and last time, she realised that they were better off as friends. Still, looking at him made her feel a twinge of regret. Seo Hyun was happy with the life she chose for herself and occasionally, she dated. But sometimes, when she was alone in her apartment, or when she heard a beautiful piece of music, she would remember the young man who had professed to love her so ardently.

"How are you? What happened? And what is Jan Di doing in Paris?" Seo Hyun asked.

"It's a long story — but to cut it short, over two months ago, Jan Di vanished from Seoul. Her parents thought she had taken a short term job in Jeju but she never made it there. We couldn't find a trace." Ji began, his temper rising again as he recalled Jan DI's irresponsible parents. "Grandfather...he still has friends in government and there was sighting of Jan DI at the embassy here. We only found out yesterday and we flew in last night."

"Your grandfather?" Seo Hyun asked, mystified. She knew how Ji Hoo felt about his estranged grandparent and how grief it had caused him over the years. "How…how did you find him?"

"Yes." JI Hoo said softly. "Actually…Jan Di found him for me. And in a way, she brought him back to me."

The two were quiet for a while.

"I need to find her Seo-hyun." Ji Hoo said, a sad, far away look in his eyes. "I don't know how I will survive if she is gone for good."

Suddenly, Min Seo-hyun remembered the little boy she had found hiding under a piano. Taking both of his shaking hands in hers, Seo-hyun lifted them to her lips and gently kissed them. Smiling at him, she whispered. "We will find her Ji Hoo-yah."

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"Ji Min — this is the fastest way to the Metro." Il Jin insisted, dragging Ji Min behind him.

"It's also the the way that has the most patisseries and chocolatiers." Ji Min teased but allowed the little boy to lead her.

"That one is my favorite!" Il Jin said, pointing at A. Lacroix Patisserie across the street. "Please Ji Min, can we just look in the window display? I want to be a patissier when I grow up!"

The two hurriedly crossed the street, dodging cars and other pedestrians. Being so close to the Notre Dame and the Latin Quarter, this area was always crowded with tourists and cars and the two had to hurry to avoid getting mowed over. Suddenly letting go of Ji Min's hand in his excitement, Il Jin ran up to the display window, admiring the perfectly decorated cakes and pastries on display.

As Ji Min hurried to catch up to him, she craned her neck looking for the little boy who had wormed his way to the front of the display window, afraid that she would lose him the crowds.

And then her heart stopped.

And the memories that had lain dormant in her mind came roaring back to life as she saw his face. It was as if floodgates had opened and she saw her life flashing before her like scenes from a film.

"Yoon Ji Hoo." She whispered.

The one she loved.

Jan Di took a step towards the window — towards him, keeping him in her frame of vision through gaps and spaces between the bodies of people in front of her — as if in a trance, her arm aching to hold him, a smile breaking out on her face…everything would be ok. She had found him. She would be safe.

And then she saw he wasn't alone.

Min Seo-hyun sat across from him, their hands clasped together, her lips curved in a soft smile on her beautiful faces as she kissed Ji Hoo's hands.

Jan Di felt her heart break. It was nothing like what she felt that afternoon in Macau with Jun Pyo when she had felt and excruciating pain — it was as if suddenly she didn't exist anymore. As if all she was and all she had ever been had disintegrated into millions of little fragments and had floated out into the Paris air.

And she was nothing.

The girl in the threadbare red coat froze – her gaze locked on the couple in the window.

"Ji Min!" Il Jin called, as he looked back and saw his friend standing stock still in the middle of the sidewalk. "Ji Min…noona! What are you doing?"

Without warning, a pedestrian who had run across the road to avoid a car, ran into the frozen Jan Di, sending her tumbling to the sidewalk. Il Jin reached her just then and held out his hand to help her up.

"Noona?" The worried little boy asked. "Are you ok?"

Unable to articulate any words — Jan Di just nodded dumbly and rose quickly.

She had to go.

She had to run away before he saw her – in her old ugly clothes and hand me down red coat, her raggedy hands cracked and broken from the dishwashing and grunt work.

Because he had moved on.

He must have.

Because he looked so happy, so perfect with the beautiful Min Seo Hyun.

Because he did not need a poor little nobody from nowhere to intrude into his perfect life with the perfect woman.

And because she would not be able to stand seeing pity in his eyes.

So she grabbed Il Jin's little hand in hers and ran, quickly getting lost in the crowd and then into the busy metro station.

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Ji Hoo smiled sadly at Seo Hyun, accepting the comfort he knew she was trying to give – as he turned to look out, his gaze was drawn a small commotion a few feet away on the sidewalk – it seemed as if a pedestrian had collapsed or fallen on the sidewalk.

A little boy was helping the woman – or girl - up from the ground, her red coat a splash of color amidst the blacks and greys typically worn by most of the Parisiennes and tourists around them — and as she looked up at the little boy and sprang up from the ground —Yoon Ji Hoo saw her face.

"Jan Di-yah!" He exclaimed, jumping quickly up from the table.

Min Seo Hyun stood up quickly as well, bewildered. "What happened?"

"I saw her — in the crowd, just now." Ji Hoo explained as quickly as he ran out of the patisserie.

Heart beating as if it were going to burst out of his chest, Ji Hoo ran outside the patisserie, turning in the direction where he had seen the Jan Di run — from a distance he saw a flash of red go down the steps leading to the Metro and sprinted towards it. But the Saint Michel station of the Metro was predictably crowded and Ji Hoo was unable to plow through the throngs of people.

"Jan Di!" Ji Hoo shouted, not seeing her anymore but hoping she could hear him "Jan Di-ah!!"

"Monsieur! Monsieur! You cannot go through the barrier — please purchase a ticket first!" A metro employee ran towards Ji Hoo who was about to vault over the turnstile — he had never taken the Metro before and had no ticket or pass — all he knew was that he had to get to Jan Di who was somewhere in the crowd.

Stopping, Ji Hoo ran his fingers through his hair exasperatedly. She was so close — he could hear the alarm in his heart screaming.

"Desole Monsieur – I was trying to catch someone." Ji Hoo apologized, trying to catch his breath.

The Metro employee looked at the young man before him – and seeing his devastated face, decided not to make a further issue.

"C'est bon, just do not do this again Monsieur."

"What has happened to you our Ji Hoo, first turning human and now turning to a life of crime?"

Ji Hoo turned, surprised to hear Korean in the crowd, and saw Woo Bin standing behind him, smiling sardonically at him and looking as if he were a bit winded as well.

"Woo Bin-ah — I saw her!" Ji Hoo explained "I saw Jan Di."

"Well we won't be able to find her now, trains passing here can connect to practically any of the other lines." Yi Jeong said, trying to steer Ji Hoo out of the crowded station, ignoring the curious looks they were getting from the crowds.

Woo Bin signalled the two men in the black suits, the security detail assigned by the Embassy to Ji Hoo and they immediately started dispersing the small crowd.

"How did you find me?" Ji Hoo asked, with a last long look at the passageway where Jan DI has disappeared to, turning to start walking up the steps with his friend who had put a comforting arm around his shoulders. Woo Bin followed behind Yi Jeong and Ji Hoo, instructing the bodyguards to return to Lacroix and tell Min Seo Hyun that they had found Ji Hoo.

"We saw you running out of Lacroix like the devil was after you and so we followed you." Yi Jeong explained, "Your speed has improved by the way…" he weakly joked. "All those naps must be paying off…"

"And by the way…your security is not happy that you went off without them." Prince Song added conversationally, as if a foot chase through one of the busiest districts in Paris was completely normal for them. "I would expect this behaviour from Gu Jun Pyo but not you…"

Ji Hoo was about to respond when he felt his phone vibrate in his coat pocket – the name on the caller ID surprised him. He had not heard from Jun Pyo in months, although he realised he should thank Jun Pyo for sending the paintings. He showed the ringing telephone to Woo Bin and Yi Jeong whose eyebrows lifted. In the last few months, Jun Pyo's communications had consistently been with Yi Jeong only and from what Yi Jeong could tell, Jun Pyo was still very angry at Ji Hoo, and by extension Woo Bin.

"Speak of the devil…." Woo Bin muttered.

"Yobeseoyo Jun Pyo"

"Did you get the package?" Jun Pyo asked, not wasting time on pleasantries.

"Yes. Gomawo. I am in Paris now looking for her. I really…appreciate your help" Ji Hoo said. His rift with Jun Pyo hurt him, they had been friends for so long and yet, he still had not completely forgiven his friend for how he had hurt Jan Di.

"Go find Jacques Argent. He is the Bouquiniste I bought the paintings from, he called me to say there were more. If it's really her — maybe he can help you find her." Jun Pyo said. "His stall is along the left bank, almost across the Notre Dame, you can ask around for him."

"Thank you Jun Pyo." Ji Hoo said quietly. "I am in your debt."

"Don't thank me. Just find her. And then we are even." Jun Pyo said quietly before he hung up the phone.

For a moment, somewhere across the city, the heir of Shinhwa stared at his phone after the call ended. He would have wanted to be the one that found her. The one that rescued the princess. But he realized that in this version of the fairy tale, he was not the Prince. He had been, for a while — but then he had thrown it away and in a few weeks, he would be returning to Korea to celebrate his wedding to a stranger. A bride he had never seen. Another gutless pawn in the game of big business.

"Take care of her…" he whispered into the phone, even though Ji Hoo was no longer there.

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"Jacques Argent?" Ji Hoo asked.

The old bookseller turned around, his eyes going wide, a bit intimidated by the two well-dressed young men and the beautiful woman who stood in front of his stall, flanked by men in dark suits who looked like bodyguards. He got nervous, the young men and the lady did not seem like bad people, but those bodyguards…were they like the Chinese triads he had heard of in the news?

Jacques wondered if he had gotten himself into trouble. Or maybe it was that girl sent by Mun Il Sung? Were the paintings stolen? But she seemed like a nice little girl — and of course he had known Il Sung for a few years and this was granddaughter after all….

Still, it didn't hurt to be careful he thought, deciding he would not give out too much information — after all, he was just here to make a living.

"Parlez vous Anglais?" (Do you speak English?) Ji Hoo asked.

"Un petit peu Monsieur" (A little sir.)

"I'm here to pick up some miniatures? Peintures? My friend purchased some by the same artist the other day." Ji Hoo explained.

"Ah yes. The young gentleman told me to expect you." Jacques replied nervously, going to the back where he took out a small package. "I have not opened them myself…would you like to take a look?"

He handed the package over to Ji Hoo who immediately began unwrapping the brown paper encasing the package. There were five — of him playing the violin in front of the IM Pei glass pyramid of the Louvre, under a streetlight in front of a cafe, on the steps of the Sacre Coeur, on the deck of a Bateaux and the last, which made him pause for long moments, sitting on the steps of what looked like a metro station but which could have been the fire exit where he and Jan DI had often sat in Shinhwa academy.

"It's her." Woo Bin said softly, looking over Ji Hoo's shoulder. "It can't have been anyone else…"

"Monsieur – we would like to buy these. Combien?" Yi Jeong asked the Bouquiniste.

A cunning look crossed the old bookseller's eyes — it he was in trouble or the girl, the very least he could do was to get her as much money out of the deal as he could.

"A hundred euros each Monsieur"

Yi Jeong pulled out his wallet and without batting an eyelash handed over the 500 Euros as if it were small change.

For a second, Jacques wanted to kick himself. He could have probably gotten more out of the deal. They didn't seem like stupid tourists, maybe they just didn't care to know that paintings like these were only worth a fraction of what he quoted.

"Do you know the artist?" Ji Hoo asked, looking up finally from the paintings.

"Oui Monsieur" Jacques replied. "But I have only seen her for the first time today. She does not come regularly."

"But she came today?" Woo Bin persisted.

The old man nodded hesitantly, looking askance as the burly bodyguards who seemed to be moving uncomfortably closer.

"Do you recognise this girl?" Ji Hoo asked, pulling up a photo of Jan Di on his mobile.

"Ah..well…it could be Ji Min…but I am not sure Monsieur…I have not really seen her that often."

"Ji Min?" Ji Hoo asked.

"That's what she said her name was – she came with her little brother Il Jin today. Although the last time, it was her grandfather who brought the paintings."

Yi Jeong and Woo Bin exchanged perplexed glances. This was looking like another wild goose chase – as far as they knew, Jan Di's little brother was safe in Ulleongdo with her parents — and she had never mentioned grandparents.

"Her grandfather?" Woo Bin asked.

"Yes — Monsieur il Sung Mun, I have known him a few years. We play boules* in the park near here."

"Do you know where they live? Do have his number? Can we call him?" Ji Hoo asked.

"I'm sorry Monsieur, I'm afraid I don't know where they live. I've only ever met him at the park or he comes here. And I don't have his number." Jacques replied. He didn't want to seem too closely connected to Il Sung or the girl in case they were in trouble. He decided he would warn his old friend first before he gave out any more information.

Ji Hoo was frustrated. He sensed that the old man was not being completely honest but short of physical violence he did not know how to get more information out of him.

"Merci beaucoup pour aider Monsieur" Ji Hoo said politely, giving the man a small bow.

"If she returns, would you ask her if she would consider a commission? I would like a miniature of the Ponte Alexandre* with the violinist. But as I am leaving Paris, I need it in a week's time. I'm prepared to pay 1,000 Euros for it….as a gift for someone. But I will only accept the painting if it is delivered to me by 6 pm. I have no time to come back here but my hotel is very close to that area. If she is uncomfortable about meeting us, I will send one of my men to meet her and pay for the painting on the left side of the Bridge near the statues of the Nymphs. But she has to deliver it personally. If she comes with the painting as agreed, there will be another thousand euros for you as commission but please do not tell her anything about me or who asked for the painting — or the deal is off."

"I will ask her Monsieur." Jacques replied. The gears already turning in his head. It would be safe right? The Ponte Alexandre was such a busy place — he didn't think she would come to harm? And — a thousand euros for each of them — that was a windfall that he needed.

"Very well Monsieur – please leave a message for me at the front desk I am staying at the Plaza Athenee." Ji Hoo concluded and with a nod to his companions, turned to enter the waiting limousine. "Again, please make sure she doesn't know who commissioned the painting or else she might not come." He said before getting in.

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"I'm so sorry Ji Hoo-yah…" Min Seo Hyun said quietly as the four settled into back of the limo.

"Don't be. I know it's her. I saw her." Ji Hoo said with conviction. "I just don't understand…does she hate me that much that she would run away?"

"Chingu…" WooBin said glancing at Ji Hoo's downcast countenance, "I'm sorry this didn't pan out…but I don't think it's Jan Di..I can't explain away the grandfather..or the little brother..maybe the violinist is just a coincidence?"

"Don't worry Ji Hoo-yah, even if this painter is not her — we'll find her. We know she is in Paris now at least." The potter elaborated. "Maybe we can put out ads? Or post a reward?"

"No Babo." Woo Bin objected "That would either make her run away even farther if she is really running from us or worse, make her a target for every money hungry criminal looking for easy money."

"You have a better idea Don Juan?" Yi Jeong challenged.

"Actually I do." Woo Bin smirked. "While you were all busy interrogating that man, I've put surveillance on him. IF Jan Di ever comes back or he goes to see her – we'll know."

Yi Jeong pouted, having been once more one-upped by Don Juan.

"Well there's nothing we more we can do tonight…"Yi Jeong muttered. "Hey Min Seo Hyun, why don't you take us out for dinner? I heard you fancy french attorneys know all the good places to party around here…"

"And can we perhaps pass by the nearest Loboutin store? There's someone I owe a pair of shoes to." Woo Bin interjected.

"And who is this unlucky woman?" Yi Jeong demanded suspiciously.

"None of your business." Woo Bin grinned and crossed his arms in front of him, signalling that the conversation was over.

Min Seo Hyun laughed and shook her head — these boys (except maybe Ji Hoo) never changed. "C'est bien. We will party tonight — and I promise to discreetly disappear in case you find dates for the evening. Are you coming with?" She asked Ji Hoo who had been staring blindly out the window.

"Gomawo Seo Hyun-ah but no." Ji Hoo said. He just wanted to go back to the hotel and be alone with his thoughts — and the memory of the fleeting glance he had caught of the girl he loved so much. "I need to update Harabeoji on what we know so far."

"Come on Ji Hoo-yah!" Woo Bin argued, "You still need to eat right? I promised Wonder Girl I would take care of you — and I don't want a Jan Di Special spin kick to the face if she thinks I haven't been doing my job!"

"Yah Ji Hoo!" Yi Jeong intervened, "Your Grandfather told us he would be at that embassy dinner tonight anyway – he won't be there even if you went to the hotel now."

Ji Hoo sighed, knowing that whatever he said, the two would not stop until he relented.

"How about this…" Min Seo Hyun interrupted "Why don't you at lest join us for dinner - Alain Ducasse at your hotel is excellent — and then I can take Yi Jeong and Woo Bin out for a drink after."

Ji Hoo just nodded and turned to the window once more watching the streets whizz by.

In a few minutes, the limousine pulled over under the distinctive red awning of the Plaza Athenee and the group alighted – heading directly for the famous Michelin starred Alain Ducasse restaurant.

"Madmoiselle Min! Bon soir! Lovely to see you join us again." The Maitre'd greeted Min Seo Hyun effusively.

"Bon soir Thierry!" Seo Hyun responded, "Pardon, je ne c'est pa reservacion. But maybe you could squeeze us in somehow?"

Min Seo Hyun was here often enough to be recognised by the Maitre'D', she was not only easy on the eyes, but she also tipped very well. And further, as it was a relatively slow night, Thierry thought the a small tip to the paparazzi would also be in order (accompanied by a small gratuitie to him for providing the tip of course) – Min Seo Hyun was locally well-known as a socialite – her exotic Asian looks, the fact that she was an ex-pat wealth heiress and her impeccable dress sense made her interesting to the local press.

"Certainment Madmoiselle! Please follow me." The obsequious maitre'd said leading the way to a table for four, strategically placed in the center of the dining room. He noted that the young gentlemen with Madmoiselle Min were the same ones who had taken over the hotel's most expensive suites, and were in the entourage of a foreign dignitary. Not to mention that they were all just as young and good looking as the delectable Madmoiselle Min. Yes, they would certainly be a very decorative and lucrative addition to the evening's clientele.

Seo Hyun was leaning closely towards Ji Hoo who was showing her photographs of himself, Jan Di, Yi Jeong and Woo Bin on his mobile, when a flash of light from a camera temporarily distracted her.

"Madmoiselle Min — who are your friends? Isn't this your former boyfriend Monsieur Ji Hoo Yoon? Are you back together?" The reporter said – he had been tipped off that it was a slow night and to make the hours he had spent hanging about worth while at least, he had slipped a gratuite to one the waiters to turn a blind eye so he could approach this table.

"No comment." Min Seo Hyun said as Ji Hoo twisted towards her, turning his face away from the camera.

"How long is he here? Are you dating again? Should we expect an engagement announcement?"

"No comment."

"A picture of both you at least?" The reporter persisted.

"The lady said no comment." Yi Jeong gritted out. Woo Bin looked on, neither him nor Yi Jeong were shy around the press but were a bit miffed that their quiet dinner had been interrupted. Woo Bin simply lifted his hand as if to summon the waiter.

A few seconds later, Woo Bin smiled and the reporter felt a cold chill go up his spine as he felt heavy hands on his shoulders. F3's security quickly frogmarched the reporter out the door and the group continued their meal, forgetting the interruption.

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Author's Note : We're getting closer to the end!! Maybe 3 chapters left and I am very excited to finish. Thanks for reading and please review!

Berthillon – is a famous ice cream store on the Ile St. Louis, a must-try when you are in Paris

Plaza Athenee is the one of the oldest, most beautiful and most expensive hotels in the City, it's famous for its Michelin starred restaurants and its red awnings

Pont Alexandre is one of the most beautiful, if not THE most beautiful bridge spanning the Seine. It has beautiful statues of nymphs and a lovely view of the Eiffel Tower. It is very popular for couples having their pre-nuptial pictorials done — a lot of them Asian couples. If you have seen Kim Hyun Joong's video for "Why" this is where they shot it — and I must confess, I was imagining the video when I wrote the next chapter and actually selected this location for my story because It is one of my favorite spots in Paris.

I hope your enjoyed this chapter — and I can't wait until you read the next. (I am waiting until I hit at least 75 reviews before I post the next one).

Bissous! Daphne


	14. CHAPTER 14 OVER THE RAINBOW

Chapter 14

Over the Rainbow

Ji Min – well now known as Jan Di had arrived with Il Jin, looking sad and shaken and as they entered the Traiteur, Il Sung could immediately tell something had happened. But with the influx of the dinner crowd, he had not had the luxury of time to ask — and after the dinner rush, Ji Min had said she was going to the park across the street and that they shouldn't wait up for her.

Il Sung had looked at her worriedly — he had gotten used to her cheerfulness but today, it seemed that Ji Min's ever present smile had been brittle and forced and she looked as if she would burst into tears at any moment. As soon as Ji Min had exited the back door and Kwang-si had gone upstairs for the evening, Il Jin had approached his grandfather.

"What happened today Il Jin?" The old man asked concernedly. "Ji Min seems upset – did anything bad happen with Monsieur Jacques?"

"Ne Harabeoji…" Il Jin said "Not really bad — but we were at Saint Michel when Ji Min fell down and when she got up, she just grabbed me and started running for the Metro."

The little boy pondered what had happened and tried to recall. "As we were running away, I heard someone calling out a name — and Ji Min just started running faster, telling me we needed to get away…and she was acting very strange all the way home. Do you think she is in trouble Harabeoji? I have never seen Noona like this…"

The old man nodded and sent off the little boy to bed telling him that he would speak to Ji Min.

Approaching the park, he saw her sitting at her usual bench where she spent hours drawing and painting, but tonight her hands were idle, the art materials untouched beside her. As he came closer, he saw Ji Min staring off into the distance, tears running down her face, their silvery tracks gleaming in the dim streetlights.

"Ji Min-ah?" The old man asked gently, not wanting to startle her. "Kwenchana? Is something wrong?"

"Oh…Harabeoji..gomawo…I didn't notice you coming…" the young woman said, hurriedly wiping her face with the backs of her hands.

She looked so young and sad that Il Sung felt his heart go out to her.

"What happened today? Did something frighten you?" Il Sung asked softly, taking the seat next to her. She was silent for a very long time and Il Sung was about to probe, when suddenly she spoke.

"My name is Geum Jan Di…" she said.

Il Sung turned sharply — she remembered who she was?

"…and today..I saw someone…and now…I remember who I am and what happened." Jan Di continued.

"But this is wonderful news!" Il Sung exclaimed, but turning towards her, he saw that she had started crying again.

"Ne Harabeoji…I guess so..at least I can go back to the embassy now and get a passport…and go home to Seoul." She replied lifelessly. "I just need enough money for the documents and a plane ticket…do you know how much I would need Harabeoji?" Jan Di asked.

"I don't know about the passport — you would need to contact your family to get identification documents…but the plane ticket would be close to a thousand euros I think…" he replied. "Have you called your family? I'm sure they are very worried about you…" the old man said gently, he was sad to think he and his family would lose this girl whom they had grown to love in the short time she had lived with them, but he was happy for her that the question of her identity was now resolved. "Is there anyone in Seoul…" he asked.

Jan Di shook her head, silent. "My family is living with relatives in the islands, I don't even know where and I can only find them when I reach Seoul…and there is…no one else."

Il Sung, felt sad. He knew she had been hoping..

"What about that young violinist in your paintings…" he broached the subject he was so curious to know about "Have you figured out who he is? Maybe he is looking for you? Was he someone very important to you?"

"Yes Harabeoji…his name is Yoon Ji Hoo…and we..he..we were together before I was taken from Seoul." Jan Di explained.

Il Sung stayed quiet, sensing there was more to this story.

"I saw him today…" Jan Di said, looking far away, still lost in her minds eye. Recalling how beautiful he had looked and how she had, for a few brief moments, thought that she could be happy again. "But…he was with…before me..there was this beautiful girl he loved and she lives here in Paris…one who belongs in his world, not like me…" she shrugged self-deprecatingly.

"And I saw him today in Saint Michel…they were holding hands and she was kissing him…I guess I was gone too long and he has forgotten me. So…no Harabeoji, there is no one looking for me."

The tears came faster now and as if she could not stop herself, Jan Di found herself telling Il Sung her story. Pausing only every so often to wipe her tears away and catch her breath. Il Sung did not interrupt, but every word she said made his heart ache for her — the poor girl had gone through so much.

"You can always stay here with us…" Il Sung offered. In his heart, she was his granddaughter as sure as if she had really been born flesh and blood to his family. Form the moment he had seen her injured in the alley, she reminded him of his late wife and had felt the fierce need to protect her.

Suddenly, he saw Jan Di move from the bench, and kneel on the ground, bowing low in front of him.

"Kamsahamnida Harabeoji" she thanked him formally "I would not have survived the last months without your help. I am very grateful to you."

He shook his head, helping her up. "There is no need to thank me Ji-min —Jan Di…you have been a so hardworking and such a good girl…In my heart, you are my granddaughter.." he said, giving her a hug and feeling her tears soak the shoulder of his shirt.

"Whatever it is you decide to do…if you stay here, we would be more than happy to keep you as an honoured granddaughter…or if you decide to go back to Korea..I will do everything I can to help you…I have some money saved up…you can use it to buy a ticket…." The old man offered.

"Aniyo, kwenchanayo Harabeoji…I have already taken so much from you…" Jan Di replied, shaking her head firmly. "I can work until I save enough…and the money from the paintings…they will help…" she said. "I…need to go back to Seoul and find my family Harabeoji…they have not heard from me in months and I have a little brother as old as Il Jin, he must be missing me…"

(And I need to get away from Paris while Yoon Ji Hoo is here, she thought. I don't want him or his friends rescuing me again out of pity. And I don't know if I could survive seeing him with Min Seo Hyun…her heart stuttered and broke a little more…she loved him enough to disappear so that he could be happy…but she could not be there to watch…it was selfish she knew, but he was with Min Seo Hyun now and she knew that she would take care of him.)

He nodded, knowing that when she made up her mind, she would not budge. Which reminded him of Jacques' call.

"Jacques called a few minutes before you arrived Jan Di-yah…" he said. "I don't think I'll ever get used to calling you that instead of Ji Min…"Il sung continued ruefully shaking his head.

"You can call me whatever you want Harabeoji." Jan Di gave a small smile and patted his hand. "What did Monsieur Jacques want? Was there a problem with the new paintings?"

"Actually no — it's good news." Il Sung replied, glad that he had pleasant news to cheer her up. "The new batch has been sold as well!"

"So soon?" Jan Di exclaimed, not believing her good fortune, another set of five paintings was another 80 euros towards her travel documents and tickets —- she longed for home and had a pressing sense of urgency to go back to Seoul, thinking that it was only there that her heart would start to heal.

"But that's not the best part!" Il Sung said, his eyes shining and a big smile on his face. "You've been offered a commission by some tourist couple who want a painting of the Pont Alexandre in your usual style…and if you can complete it in a week, they are willing to pay 1,000 euros for it!"

Jan Di gasped — her art could not possibly be worth that much — she was an unknown amateur…but that money…that and what she had saved would be enough to get her home…

"But in a week Harabeoji?" She queried. "Why do they want it so soon?"

"I don't know…Jacques didn't say…maybe they are only in Paris for a short time?" Il Sung replied scratching the back of his head. "He said you need to deliver it to the Pont Alexandre at 6 pm in a weeks time or else they won't buy it…the buyers want to meet the artist he said."

"I…I don't know Harabeoji…doesn't it seem odd to you?" Jan Di asked.

"Well…no odder than any other thing all these tourists do…who knows what they are thinking?" Il Sung replied shrugging his shoulders. "And the Pont Alexandre is on a very busy street, I don't think anyone could really try anything there…" he assured the girl.

Jan Di nodded. Her mind was a mess. Part of her could not believe the luck that had seemingly fallen her way but part of her desperately wanted to say yes she would do it so that she could take the money and return to Seoul.

"Don't stay out here too late Jan Di-yah…" Il Sung reminded her, bidding her goodbye as he went off to bed.

The girl nodded and stared at the blank canvass before her —- perhaps she could just work on the painting. She didn't need to decided yet. She still had a week.

As Jan Di began sketching out the painting, she felt as if each stroke of Ji Hoo's figure was knife cut through her heart — but she steeled herself — promising that this would be the last painting she ever made of him.

Once this painting was completed, she would put away the sketches from Macau, and the photographs, the bracelet…and all the memories of Yoon Ji Hoo in the back, small corners of her heart, to be taken out only someday when they did not hurt her so much.

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It was almost seven am when Jan Di woke, bolting straight up in her hard little cot — she had been awake most of the night before falling into an uneasy sleep near dawn, memories of the brief happy weeks she had been with Ji Hoo haunting her each time she closed her eyes. It had been several days since she regained her memories and each night, she had stayed up painting and thinking. Fighting her sorrow and determined to make this painting, if it was to be the last she painted of him, to be the best one she had ever painted.

Jan Di immediately sprang out of bed and after a quick wash ran into the restaurant to begin her daily chore of cleaning the restaurant floors, opening the metal shutters and putting down the chairs and setting them around the tables.

"Yah! You lazy brat!" Kwang-si shouted at her as she came down the stairs and noticed that unlike the usual, Jan Di had not yet gotten the restaurant ready for business as she usually did before Kwang-si normally came downstairs from the family quarters. "What do you think this is ? A vacation? Waking up so late! Who do you think you are? Some princess?!" Kwang-si directly a hard slap to Jan Di's head as she headed to the kitchen, still muttering imprecations about the uselessness of the girl.

Jan Di held back tears and quietly continued with her work, trying to give Il Jin a reassuring smile as he came down the stairs after his mother.

Il Jin looked at her sadly, giving her a brief tight little hug before he followed his mother to the kitchen where he had breakfast before going off to school.

"Don't be so harsh on the girl…" Il Sung admonished Kwang-si only to receive a derisive snort as a response.

"She knows she needs to pull her weight around here." Kwang-si said loudly in her quarrelsome voice. "Just because she sold a few pathetic paintings doesn't give her an excuse to slack off…who does she think she is? Picasso?" She snorted with sarcastic laughter.

Il Sung just shook his head sadly and patted Jan Di's shoulder as he too went to the kitchen to eat breakfast. "Have you eaten child?" He asked softly, he noted the dark circles under her eyes and her paleness. She looked as if she had lost weight in a few days — and most notably, the sparkle that used to shine in her eyes, the smile that greeted him in the morning were gone.

"Gomawo Harabeoji…I don't feel hungry…" Jan Di said lifelessly, continuing her work.

Il Sung looked at her helplessly, not knowing what to do or say, knowing that he could do nothing to help. He just nodded and left her alone, hoping Kwang-si's bad mood would evaporate after she had eaten.

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"Korean Heiress and her Prince Charming Back Together? Is an engagement about to be announced soon?" Woo Bin read from the tabloid in front of him as he lounged at the table set up on the balcony of their suite where the F3 and Ji Hoo's grandfather were having breakfast.

"Wow Ji Hoo-yah, I see you've moved up to royalty status now." Yi Jeong teased. "Prince Charming eh?"

"What is this idiocy?" Yoon Seok Young muttered, frowning as he looked up from his coffee. He looked worriedly at Ji Hoo who had not eaten anything save for a cup of coffee and who was presently looking out at the view, seemingly oblivious to what was happening around them. He was worried for his grandson — while their relationship was still new he had spent a lot of time with Ji Hoo over the last few months, and it seemed to him that Ji Hoo was withdrawing further and further into himself as the days went by. He called for Secretary Jun who was in the living room.

Yi Jeong grabbed the newspaper from Woo Bin and perused the society column where the article had a prominent place at the top of the page. There were a couple of photographs of the group at the restaurant table and a large one of Ji Hoo and Seo Hyun with their heads close together. He supposed that for someone who had no idea what was happening, they DID look like a loving couple. There was another large photo – he assumed it had been taken years ago when Ji Hoo had first come to Paris to chase after Min Seo Hyun, showing the couple leaving the Palais Garnier after attending the opera, holding hands and smiling.

"The beautiful Min Seo Hyun was spotted last night at the Alain Ducasse with her former beau Yoon Ji Hoo, grandson of the former South Korean President. He has not been seen in Paris since two years past when the couple allegedly had an amicable break up. But the former couple were seen acting very lovingly over dinner accompanied by Korean pottery artist So Yi Jeong and the debonair heir of the Song Construction conglomerate Song Woo Bin, both known to be very close friends of the couple. Asked if an engagement announcement was forthcoming, the couple only replied "No Comment" several times — and they say a hard no is a yes. Could it be that a Min-Yoon engagement is forthcoming? It certainly seems likely if the handsome Yoon Ji Hoo has brought his best friends along to Paris – perhaps for a grand proposal?"

Yi Jeong looked up from where he was reading the tabloid aloud, a pout on his face. "Why is Woo Bin debonair, Ji Hoo is handsome and I am just the "artist"?" He complained disgruntledly.

"Hate to tell you this bro…" Woo Bin grinned, "But you're really the ugliest among all of us so it can't be helped."

"Aish! Shut up Babo!" Yi Jeong retorted, throwing a breakfast roll at Woo Bin who caught it deftly and took a big bite.

"You called sir?" Secretary Jun said, standing next to Grandfather Yoon.

"I want you to find out the publisher of that tabloid and kill that story." Yoon Seok Young ordered. "We don't want any unnecessary publicity while we're here."

"Yah Secretary Park —- and also, those are such bad pictures of me…they could have at least taken one from my good angle." Yi Jeong added.

"What good angle?" Woo Bin said under his breath, stifling a laugh.

"I heard that…" Yi Jeong retorted, reaching out for another piece of pastry to use as ammunition.

Secretary Jun bowed politely to Yoon Seok Young while at the same time managing to take the bread basket away from So Yi Jeong.

"Sorry Young Master — Master Woo Bin is on a low carb diet." Secretary Jun said putting the bread basket on the side table away from Yi Jeong's reach, an amused smile struggling to fight its way to his primly set countenance.

"Geez…" Yi Jeong muttered, "Everyone hates me today…"

"Yah…" Woo Bin said, buttering another roll "Pretty much…"

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Jan Di waved goodbye as the last customers left and approached their table to clear up. After she had cleaned this last table she noticed that someone had left behind a discarded newspaper on the booth.

It was quite late and Jan Di's day of work was over – Grandfather Il Sung was pulling down the metal shutters over the windows and Il Jin was sitting in one of the booths finishing his homework. Thinking that she could keep Il Jin company — he reminded her so much of Kang San and she missed her little brother fiercely — Jan Di took the newspaper and sat next to Il Jin at the booth and started reading.

Il Jin smiled at his noona. He was worried about her because she had been sad ever since that day they went to see Monsieur Jacques but his Harabeoji told him not to pester her. He went on quietly doing his hated math homework as she read the paper next to him until he felt her take a sharp breath and drop the newspaper on the table.

"Noona?" He asked worriedly. "Are you ok?"

"Yes, yes." Jan Di answered hurriedly' getting up and quickly turning away from Il Jin and Il Sung, worried they would see her crying again. She hated herself for doing this — when had she turned into this pathetic creature who cried all the time? This was NOT who she was — and more than ever, she promised herself she would survive this — even if she had no idea how — she just knew that more than ever, she needed to leave Paris.

"Are you ok Jan Di-yah?" Il Sung asked, noticing Il Jin's worried look and Jan Di paused in the doorway leading to the kitchen.

So Yoon Ji Hoo was in Paris to propose to Min Seo Hyun — and the photos were simply variations of the same scene she had seen at Lacroix. They were, as she had always known, the perfect complement to each other. Jan Di shook her head sadly, as if it would help to clear her thoughts. And she knew that there was nothing left for her — what she needed to do to was to get back to Seoul and her real life as soon as she could — before she was found by F3 and treated yet again, like the charity case she was. She would raise the funds for her passport and a ticket — she had an opportunity to do so within her reach…and maybe, if she let go of that final painting, she could let go of Yoon Ji Hoo and start over. All she needed now was the money to get her new passport and book a ticket.

The "Weed" they had called her in high school and the "weed" she would be, Jan Di decided. She would survive to thrive and grow another day although her heart was sore and her spirits low. Things would get better once she was back home — they had to.

And if she accepted the commission Monsieur Argent was offering — she would have enough to pay for the plane fare. Still, Jan Di worried that the coincidence was too great to be ignored. Why would it happen just as F4 were all in Paris? She had seen reports that Gu Jun Pyo was in town to open a new hotel and Yoon Ji Hoo…was here probably to propose to Min Seo Hyun. Much as she wanted to accept the offer, she was afraid that somehow, the commission was linked to F4 and the last thing she wanted was for them to find her — for her to have a front row seat to Ji Hoo and Seo Hyun's happiness.

No.

She couldn't. While she was sure that Gu Jun Pyo would not care one way or the other what had happened to her, Yoon Ji Hoo would probably feel guilty and try to help her. And the last thing she wanted from him was pity. She had had enough of that.

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"Any news from you sources Woo Bin?" Ji Hoo asked as Woo Bin entered the room.

It had been a frustrating four days since he had seen Jan Di run away into the depths of the Metro and despite having a combination of Woo Bin's men tailing Jacques Argent and the embassy's resources making inquiries within a five kilometre radius of the Saint Michel area, Jan Di still could not be found.

"I'm sorry Ji Hoo – still no trace. My men have been following Argent for the last few days and he only goes to his stall, and home. If we were in Korea, we could put a trace on his phone but…" Woo Bin shrugged.

"I still say we put a reward out…." Grumbled so Yi Jeong from the depths of the couch. He had been out late the night before with some girls from Min Seo Hyun's law firm and was still suffering from the ill effects of last night's binge.

"And it's still as stupid idea." Woo Bin retorted.

"Says the dude who can't come up with a better one…." Yi Jeong muttered, sinking back down into the soft, downy pillows on the sofa.

Woo Bin considered throttling his friend – but a quick frown from Ji Hoo easily persuaded him that it wold not be a good idea. (At this time – he thought – he would have lots of time for a beatdown when they got back home).

Meanwhile, Secretary Jun entered the room and with a quick bow to Grandfather addressed Ji Hoo, he had been busy the last few days dealing with the press. For some reason, F4 still attracted a lot of attention even here. And certainly, So Yi Jeong's nightly partying did not help with keeping the low profile that Ji Hoo wanted.

"Young Master, I'm afraid we can't kill the story — there seems to be a lot of interest in your supposed engagement to Min Seo Hyun and our contacts at the newspapers refuse to give it up. Unless…"

"Unless what?" Ji Hoo asked exasperatedly – on top of all his other worries for Jan Di's safety, the constant presence of the paparazzi was not only annoying but worse, he felt that it hampered their efforts in finding her somehow.

"Unless we stage that you and your friends have left Paris? Perhaps that will put an end to the speculation?"

"Does this involve having to actually go to the airport?" Woo Bi asked skeptically "Or did you mean actually leaving Paris for real?"

"Not necessarily young Master." Secretary Jun explained "With President Yoon's permission, I was planning on just issuing a press release that all of you have left — however, this means you would need to stay in the hotel until Friday when Master Ji Hoo plans to meet Miss Geum at the Pont Alexandre. But…."

"But what?" Ji Hoo asked.

"It means no going out all — and especially no more partying at night." Secretary Jun said, with a pointed look at So Yi Jeong who had not stirred from the depths of the couch. "It's just for two more days."

"That's fine Secretary Jun.." Ji Hoo replied, casting a gimlet stare at So YI Jeong. "…even if we have to tie him to the chair."

"Sounds like a plan…" Woo Bin answered rubbing his hands gleefully. "Can I do it?"

"Geez…some friends you are… THERE WILL BE NO TYING ANYONE UP!" Yi Jeong complained. Getting up, he noticed the large brown paper bag with a distinctive logo on the front sitting on the coffee table of the suite.

"Yah Woo Bin — are you cross dressing now?" He asked rummaging into the paper bag to find a pair of sleek black high heels with the distinctive red soles of Christian Louboutin.

"None of your business nosey." Woo Bin retorted grabbing the bag and going into his bedroom.

"That's very good Young Master. I've arranged a :farewell" dinner for the four of you, including the President, with Miss Min tonight — it will just be at the restaurant. Miss Min needs to be on board with this to make the story convincing." Secretary Jun instructed. "The reservation is at 7 at the L'Arpege near Les Invalides. A car will be downstairs to pick you up at 6:30."

Ji Hoo nodded and with a small bow, Secretary Jun left.

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Jan Di stared at the newspaper in her hand, despite her promise to herself that she would not actively look for news about Ji Hoo, she found herself scouring the newspapers everyday — hoping for a glance of a photo of him (even if it was with the beautiful Min Seo Hyun). It was like a scab on her psyche — she knew she should avoid looking and picking at it because it would never heal, but she was hungry for the sight of him. Although each time that she opened the papers, she feared that she would find news of an engagement, she could not stop herself.

"Sources have advised that F4- the crème de la crème of Korean Society who have been in Paris for the last week are reported to have left for Seoul, Korea late last night on board the private jet owned by young tycoon Yoon Ji Hoo. Monsieur Yoon was accompanied by his grandfather, former President Yoon Seok Yeoung and friends Song Woo Bin and Soo Yi Jeong. Speculation was rampant that young Monsieur Yoon's proposal was rejected by the beautiful Mademoiselle Min Seo Hyun but such does not seem to be the case as she was seen having dinner immediately before the flight at the Michelin starred L'Arpege with Monsieurs Yoon, Song and So but more notably, accompanied no less than Yoon Seok Young, former South Korean President and incidentally, Monsieur Yoon Ji Hoo's grandfather. Perhaps giving his blessings to the union? At any rate, despite F4's departure, it doesn't look like this is an ending for this gorgeous couple. The Tattler will certainly remain on the lookout for news of an official engagement."

So he was gone.

Jan Di felt her spirits deflate as she traced a delicate finger across the photograph of Ji Hoo. He looked as handsome as she remembered, though he was not smiling in the photograph, seated between his grandfather and Min Seo Hyun.

She kept telling herself that she didn't want Ji Hoo to find her – certainly not sweeping floors and washing dirty dishes in a small restaurant in a small arrondissement in Paris but if she were being honest with herself, a mall part of her had hoped he had come to Paris to her.

It was impossible of course — how would he even know to look here?

No.

The only rational explanation for him being in Paris was Min Seo Hyun.

And she could only hope that she would not reject him again, though it tore her own heart apart, Jan Di knew that ultimately, she only wished for Ji Hoo to find happiness – even if it were with someone else.

Shaken from her musings by the sound of the bell over the door of the Traiteur, Jan Di looked up to see Il Sung coming in, giving her a smile and a small wave as he went over to the cash register.

"Harabeoji?" Jan Di said, making up her mind. If Ji Hoo and the others had gone, then it was clear that the mysterious buyer of the commissioned painting had nothing to do with her or them. And it was safe to meet the buyer because all the thoughts..no, fantasies…of a rescue and a happy ending…that never happens in real life.

And she needed that money to get home. As Kwang-si always said, she was not a princess. There would be no Prince Charming on a white horse. There would be no rescue.

"Ne Jan Di-yah?"

"Please tell Monsieur Jacques that I will take the commission. I'll be there tomorrow"

But that was alright.

Because she was a Weed. She would survive.

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Woo Bin and Yi Jeong were bickering again, and Ji Hoo sighed wondering for the nth time why he agreed to let both come with him on this trip.

Grandfather had retired early after having dinner and to pass the time while in their Secretary Jun-imposed quarantine, Woo Bin and Yi Jeong had roped Ji Hoo into a weird combination of poker and trash talk in an attempt to distract him.

"Your poker skills are as bad as your judgment with women…". Woo Bin

"Says the guy who hasn't managed to get a date since we got to Parsi…" Yi Jeong countered.

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe I didn't want one?" Woo Bin asked. "Or has all that tomcatting around diminished your brain cells."

"Since when?" Yi Jeong asked. "I think you're losing your touch or Mr. One True Love over here is rubbing off on you."

"Since maybe I grew up and decided I had enough of bimbos…unlike you.." Woo Bin said acerbically, throwing down his cards. "Full house."

Yi Jeong groaned and Ji Hoo simply threw down his cards. He wasn't even sure what cards he had. And he didn't really care. It was beginning to seem more and more that even this trip to Paris was a waste…and perhaps Jan Di didn't want to be found…He couldn't understand why she would run away.

"And who are you to judge me?" Yi Jeong challenged, Woo Bin and his constant barbs about his lifestyle were beginning to really make him mad. Woo Bin had always been his "partner-in-crime" – simply because Gu Jun Pyo had been, despite his gruff exterior, actually shy and inept when interacting with women and Yoon Ji Hoo had always been fixated on just Min Seo Hyun and for a short time, Geum Jan Di.

"Someone who's been there…done that..and wants to move on." Woo Bin replied seriously, staring at his drink. He couldn't really remember when the change had happened himself…but for some reason, the partying and picking up girls had lost its allure for him. Not since… well, not since he had gotten to know Chu Ga Eul. He had not called or spoken to her since the night she had thrown her shoes at him – but since that night, he had not even looked at another woman, despite Yi Jeong's hearty endorsement of how hot Min Seo Hyun's french friends were or the room keys he got slipped under his napkin the few times he had gone to the hotel bar for a drink.

"Move on?" Yi Jeong queried, suppressed anger in his voice. "You mean move "in" right?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Woo Bin asked, reacting angrily at the insinuation in Yi Jeong's accusing voice.

"Well, you certainly moved in fast on my girl the minute my back was turned didn't you?" Yi Jeong parried.

"Your girl? YOUR girl?" Woo Bin said, a dangerous glint in his eye.

"Yes. Mine. My girl." Yi Jeong said angrily "You knew I liked Chu Ga Eul. You knew we were going out. And you saunter in…taking her away from me."

"I asked you and you said you weren't interested. Didn't I?" Woo Bin challenged. "She even confessed to you and you turned her down. And if you like her so much, what are you doing? How many women have you slept with just in Paris alone huh So Yi Jeong?! And you went on ONE date. ONE."

"That doesn't make it alright for you to just swoop in and steal her does it?" Yi Jeong stood up, getting in Woo Bin's face.

"If you weren't drunk right now — I would hit you." Woo Bin replied and turning on his heel, started walking to the balcony.

"And if you weren't my friend — I would have hit you days ago." Yi Jeong countered, getting up and going to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Ji Hoo just stayed where he was, wondering how the situation had gotten so bad so fast and trying to decide which of his friends he should pacify first when his mobile rang.

"Bonsoir Monsieur? C'est Jacques Argent. L'astiste, the mademoiselle has agreed to do the commission. She will bring the painting tomorrow night."

"Oui. Merci Monsieur. I will leave you the check for you bonus at the front desk the Plaza Athenee as agreed."

"Merci."

The line went dead and Ji Hoo stared at the telephone in his hand, his heart pounding.

"Who was that?" Woo Bin asked, coming in from the balcony, a drink in his hand.

"Jacques Argent. She has accepted the commission."

"Game on chingu!" Woo Bin exclaimed, patting his friend on the back. "Now…let's make this perfect…"

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Author's Note :

Here we goooooo! I hope I didn't disappoint you with that chapter — I didn't really want to cop out and skip to happily ever after right away because really, if you were Jan Di wouldn't it be a tad bit suspicious if that commission suddenly and coincidentally appeared just like that?

Someone PM'd to ask me why Jan Di ran away wouldn't it be better if she let herself be found — in my defence, I was trying to keep her in character — she's very proud and independent and she HATES being pitied. To compound things, she has always been insecure about Min Seo Hyun plus she recently got dumped by Gu Jun Pyo. Also it must have been very disconcerting for her to recover her memories just like that. (And also we wouldn't have much of a story)

Lastly —- if you haven't already, please watch Kim Hyun Joong's music video for "Why" which was shot at the Pont Alexandre III which is so beautiful (the bridge — well the video as well )


	15. Chapter15

Chapter 14

The Way Home

PARIS

"Will you be ok going on your own Jan Di?" Il Sung asked as Jan Di hurriedly shucked off her apron and got into the threadbare red coat that she had been wearing all winter. She had asked Kwang-si for the afternoon off but the woman refused, saying that Jan Di couldn't just abandon her work on a busy Friday night. It was not until Jan Di agreed to work until 5:30 and take only half a day's pay (despite having worked most of the day) that the shrewd woman agreed, with much grumbling and muttering about laziness and irresponsibility that Kwang-si finally agreed to let her go.

It was a few minutes past five now and Jan Di she would only have a little over than half an hour to fight the rush hour crowds to get to the Pont Alexandre. She knew she would have to rush — and she knew she needed to get there — the commission was her only hope to get the money she desperately needed to get home.

"Be careful, ne?" Il Sung reminded the girl, handing her the carefully packaged painting that she was to deliver. "Il Jin and I will be waiting for you to get home with your good news."

Jan Di smiled wanly, she was tired and her feet sore from rushing around all day — knowing she had to leave early, Kwang-si had seemed to take a great delight that day in running the young woman off her feet with sometimes useless errands.

"Yes, Harabeoji. I will." Jan Di replied "Please wish me luck that I make it in time."

The rush hour crowds at the metro were crazy and Jan Di had to fight her way into the train, standing all of the way until her stop. It was still a ten minute walk to the Pont Alexandre from the nearest metro stop and Jan Di wished she could afford to take a taxi. Despite her haste however, it was almost a quarter to seven by the time Jan Di exited the metro station. She was already over half an hour late and beginning to lose hope that she would still find the buyer waiting when she finally arrived.

Jan Di stopped, and caught her breath, winded from running up the stairs of the metro exit, the carefully wrapped painting clutched close to her heaving chest. She could only hope that the buyer had been caught in rush hour traffic too — or waited for her. But as she realized how late she was, she knew her chances were growing slimmer by the second.

"Fighting!" She muttered to herself. She had come this far she thought — she could to give up now. And gathering her last reserves of strength, Jan Di began to run…

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A FEW HOURS EARLIER

"Relax Ji Hoo-yah, we got it the first ten times you reminded us." Woo Bin said with a crooked grin, patting his anxious friend on the back.

"Woo Bin will be at the northern end of the bridge and I'll be at the southern end near the Grand Palais." So Yi Jeong added.

"And we will both make sure we're hidden so she won't see us and run away." Woo Bin completed the sentence, cutting off Ji Hoo before he repeated his instructions yet again.

"That means the security detail too." Ji Hoo interjected. "This has to be…"

"Perfect. Yes, we know bossy Young Master Yoon." Woo Bin said sarcastically, earning him a glare from Ji Hoo. "The security detail too…don't worry, they're professionals, it will be like they weren't even there. We've made sure they're incognito."

"And Secretary Jun's people are already clearing out the area as we speak." Yi Jeong added, wanting to reassure Ji Hoo. "Except for a few strategically placed people so she won't get spooked why the bridge is so empty on a Friday night, everyone there will be our guys."

"Young Master…" Secretary Jun appeared ("The man is like a ninja.." Woo Bin thought, "…just popping out of the woodwork so silently…geez.") "The car will be here in an hour, you may want to start getting ready?"

"Yes — gomawo Secretary Jun" Ji Hoo, bowing politely and turning away, entered his room where he started getting dressed. His hands shook a little as he turned the doorknob, glancing at the bed he saw that the valet had already set out what he was wearing for the day — and for some reason, he felt as nervous as a bridegroom getting ready for his wedding.

Exactly an hour later Ji Hoo came out of his room, in his trademark white, carrying his violin case under his arm. Woo Bin and Yi Jeong rose from the sofa where they had been lounging with a drink to flank their friend.

President Yoon also stood up and approached his grandson, giving him a hug — Ji Hoo startled, not used to the show of affection from his grandfather — but then, he relaxed, welcoming the reassurance his grandfather gave him.

"I'll be in the limo somewhere nearby, waiting for news." President Yoon said, releasing Ji Hoo. "Let me know when you find her — Secretary Jun and I will be here in case you need anything and we'll bring the car when you're ready."

"You look good chingu." Yi Jeong said, patting Ji Hoo's back. "You look like….like you're getting married."

"I hope so." Ji Hoo said, self consciously straightening (already immaculate) coat. "I mean…not today…but… Aish… what am I saying?" Ji Hoo replied agitatedly.

"Don't stress. It will be ok." Yi Jeong reassured his friend, for once, serious.

"Now let's go get Wonder Girl!" Woo Bin announced, heading towards the door.

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Jan Di ran the last few hundred meters to the bridge, the precious bundle clutched safely to her chest. It seemed interminable to her — and it felt as if she was running towards her salvation. She was winded and exhausted by the time she caught sight of the beautiful bridge, the sunset painting the water of the Seine in yellows and golds and oranges and in the distance, the Eiffel Tower rose majestically like a queen watching over her subjects.

She finally caught her breath and looked around — but to her intense disappointment, there was no one waiting for her. Monsieur Jacques had told her that a man in a black suit would be waiting for her on the left side of the bridge, near the statues of the nymphs. But as she looked from across the street, there were only a few people who obviously were tourists with their cameras and ubiquitous backpacks taking selfies by the bridge and a couple in wedding garb accompanied by a stylist and photographer busy taking what looked like wedding photos.

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At exactly 5 pm F4 alighted from their town car at the Pont Alexandre III, the meeting was supposed to take place at 6 but Ji Hoo wanted everything in place well before the appointed time.

As soon as Ji Hoo stepped out of the car, one of the security detail approached and gave him a briefing.

"Young Master, everyone is in place. We'll make sure no one else gets in our out. Everyone on this bridge is part of our team."

"Even that couple over there?" Yi Jeong asked, looking askance at the "wedding couple" standing on one side of the bridge where it overlooked the Eiffel Tower. He cringed. Even pretend weddings raised his hackles — and he thought briefly of Chu Ga Eul, reminding himself that she was the type of girl who expected things like forever and fairy tale weddings, and that clearly he was not the one for her.

"Even that couple over there — that's Yeon Su Min and the guy is Bok Gi Dong — my chief of security flew them up here, they're two of our best. Especially Su Min-ssi — she has a black belt in 4 different martial arts, so don't get stupid ideas So Yi Jeong…" Woo Bin interjected.

"As if…" Yi Jeong muttered.

"Very good." Ji Hoo addressed the head of security – he didn't know how many favours his grandfather had called in from the embassy but he must have used up all his goodwill to mobilise this grand set up. "Thank you very much for your help. Please make sure that all points are covered, I am afraid the girl we are looking for may try to run — make sure it's very clear that while they need to stop her, she cannot under any circumstances get hurt."

"Understood sir. I'll deploy the team into position now." The head of security bowed and left at Ji Hoo's nod.

Woo Bin looked at his friend, over the past few months, while Ji Hoo had become quieter (if that were even possible) he had also become more forceful, more self-assured and authoritative. He had come so far from the aloof, detached boy he had grown up with — the one who always seemed to stand apart from everything going on around him, the one who always seemed to just observe but did not care enough to be too involved.

"Why all this our Ji Hoo?" Woo Bin asked curiously. "Why do all this? What if it's not even her?"

"But what if it is?" Ji Hoo turned to his friend. "If it is…then this would all have been worth it."

"You've changed so much Yoon Ji Hoo." Yi Jeong said, putting an arm around his friend's shoulders. "What has happened to you?"

"I don't know Yi Jeong…" Ji Hoo replied, a small poignant smile on his face as the face he longed to see more than anything in the world flashed in his memory. "I guess it must be love."

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It was 6:00 and Ji Hoo paced anxiously. He was standing beneath the stairs leading down from the bridge to the bank of Seine. He sent a quick SMS to Woo Bin and Yi Jeong who as Ji Hoo had meticulously planned, were hidden on opposite ends of the bridge.

JH : Any sign of her?

YJ : Not from my side.

WB: Mine neither — not since you asked 5 seconds ago.

JH : :(

It was 6:15 and the golden haired young man was getting more nervous. What if she didn't come? What if she had run away again? He was about to send another text when his phone buzzed.

WB : Cool it chingu. She's still not here.

JH : I didn't text you.

WB : But you were about to.

JH : :( Not.

WB: Uh huh.

YJ : If you say so…

6:30 and nothing. Ji Hoo ran his hands through his hair in frustration – where was she? What if she had gotten into an accident? What if she was lying hurt somewhere?What would he do if she didn't come?

JH : Do you see her anywhere? It's way past 6.

YJ : Relax, she's not that late.

WB: Well…she IS Wonder Girl…she's never late…not ever since I've know her anyway..

YJ : (Not helping)

JH: Let me know as soon as you see her.

YJ: Nah…I'll go get a coffee first…it's freezing

JH: Damn you So Yi Jeong stay put or I'll break your legs.

YJ: You've been hanging out with Woo Bin too much.

WB: Heeeey…I resent that

YJ: Ha ha ha just kidding

WB : Not funny.

JH : :(

YJ : Of course I wouldn't go anywhere.

WB : Do you know any emojis other than that frowny-face thing?

JH: :( :( :(

It was 6:45 when Ji Hoo's phone vibrated signalling a call.

"Yeoboseyo?"

"Ji Hoo-yah, what has happened? Secretary Jun and I are in the car just two blocks down. Do you need us to come get you? Did you find her?"

President Yoon's voice came over the line, anxiety written in every syllable. He and Secretary Jun had remained in the limo' just across the bridge behind the Petit Palais, waiting for Ji Hoo's call. But as the minutes inched past 6:00 pm and closer to 7:00, the old gentleman became more and more worried.

"Not yet Harabeoji…"

"If she doesn't come…how long will you wait? It's getting cold…"

"As long as I have to grandfather."

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Jan Di crossed the street to the other side of the bridge, chest still heaving from her run, looking around, her heart sinking with every step. Other than the wedding couple, there was no one standing under the statues of the nymphs. She had missed her chance.

Exhausted and disappointed, Jan Di leaned back against the closest railing, and feeling her legs go weak, unsure if it was from her sprint or from the disappointment clawing at her chest, Jan Di slid slowly down the railing, feeling the cold from the masonry seep through her threadbare coat. Her eyes were blinded by tears — from disappointment, from the sadness of failed hopes, from the anger at herself for not having been fast enough, anger at Kwang-si for holding her up…

And then as the sun set like molten gold into the Seine, Jan Di heard a melody — faint at first but growing clearer as she paid more attention, growing closer and closer to her.

Her heart thudded — for the song playing was so familiar to her. FOREVER. She knew every note, every pause…it had played so often in her dreams. FOREVER.

She took her tired hands from her face and wiped her eyes, struggling to rise, but then the music stopped. And as she opened her eyes…she believed all the happily ever after she had read of as a little girl.

"Where did you go little otter?" A soft, gentle voice asked and Jan Di finally looked up. "I have been looking for you everywhere."

"Sunbae?" Jan Di stuttered rubbing her eyes, so sure that she was imagining things. "What…why…why are you here?" She managed to say, before the tears overwhelmed her. "I thought you already went home to Seoul…"

Gentle hands took the small painting from Jan Di's shaking little hands and set it carefully upon the ledge, next to his violin. And with hands that were shaking too, the golden haired young man realised — as he struggled to remain gentle, so as not to frighten her away, he reached out for her.

He had been at the bridge for two hours, and as the clock ticked closer to six, and then closer and closer to seven, he had began to start believing that she would never come. There was so much he wanted to tell her and but most of all, he wanted to feel her close.

So without another word, the beautiful young man gathered the crying young woman into his arms and held her tight, infusing into that embrace all the love, the longing, the fear of never finding her again and the joy of seeing her safe that he had kept in his heart all the past months.

"What I told you in Macau…did you already forget my Jan Di-yah?" He asked gently, tilting her face up to his and wiping each tear that fell from her eyes with touches so gentle that she felt as if angel's wings were stroking her face "I promised that I would always look for you, and that I would always find you. I asked you if you would let be home to you…but what I never told you was that YOU are home to me. So without you, I have no home…I have no life…I have nothing."

And then he did what he had been wanting to do since he first saw her — Ji Hoo lowered his lips to hers. It began chastely, just his lips touching hers lightly, parting slightly, coaxing her to do the same and Jan Di's heart stuttered wildly and began to beat with an exultant rhythm as it finally dawned on her that this was real. This was not one of her dreams. That her Ji Hoo was really here, holding here in his arms — and she parted her own lips, responding to him.

When he felt her soften in his arms, felt the touch of her small hands moving up his arms to tangle in his hair, and felt her lips part under his, Yoon Ji Hoo forgot the world — he forgot they were in the middle of a busy street, in a busy city. He forgot that they were surrounded by people, he forgot that his best friends were nearby — he forgot the speech he practiced — and he got lost in Geum Jan DI.

But it was the most beautiful kind of lost there ever was, or ever would be in Yoon Ji Hoo's so far, lonely life.

Deepening the kiss as she parted her lips, Yoon Ji Hoo felt like he had finally found home.

And Geum Jan Di finally let herself believe that princes DID come to the rescue. A cold wind blew off the Seine and she snuggled deeper into his arms for warmth, feeling his arms tighten around her. She realised how much she had missed his warmth and she finally felt warm and safe — she had not realised how cold she had been.

She could feel his heartbeat pounding beneath her small palm flat on his chest (and she wondered if he cold feel her own heart as it pounded, shouting out his name)

She could feel his hands, slipping beneath her jacket, grasping fistfuls of her shirt as he tried to pull her even closer, running up and down her back and then tangling into her hair as if he were a starving man finally set loose on a banquet as his kiss turned fiercer and deeper igniting little fires all over her being.

"Yah! You two! Keep it GP — you ARE in the middle of a bridge!" Ji Hoo heard So Yi Jeong.

Reluctantly, he lifted his lips from hers and saw that Jan Di's adorable face was suffused with a blush — a blush that went all the way down to her neck…and he wondered how much further down. (And he wished they were somewhere…anywhere…but here, so he could check).

"Saranghae Geum Jan Di, I will never let you go again." He whispered one last time before loosening his hold on her.

"Uhmmm…can you let go of her for a second? I know you promised me your first child if I helped you find her but I don't really want to watch you making it in front of me…" Woo Bin wisecracked, coming up right behind Yi Jeong.

"Are you ready to come out of there yet?" Ji Hoo asked Jan Di softly, whispering into her hair. He felt her nod against his chest and she lifted her face up to him, still rosy from her blushes' a brilliant smile suffusing her features.

And he realised — he had just fallen in love with her all over again.

"Uhh…hello?" She said, her voice cracking on the last syllable as she peeked out from inside Ji Hoo's jacket to smile at Woo Bin and Yi Jeong who were standing a few feet away, watching the two with big smiles on their faces, and even bigger bouquets of roses in each of their arms.

"Welcome home Wonder Girl." Woo Bin said, before he and Yi Jeong rushed at the their friends and engulfed them in a huge bear hug.

And across the bridge, a stern faced man broke into a wide smile and pulled out his telephone.

"Yeoboseyo? Mr. President? It is done. She has been found." Secretary Jun said.

THE END

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

And that's all she wrote folks! Thank you once again to everyone who read this and especially to those who took the time to review. As an author, there is nothing more gratifying that hearing how your readers feel about your story — and there is nothing that is more motivating than reviews to encourage authors to write more. Publishing a story is a lot like sending your child out into the world — you're always anxious to hear how they did, did they make friends, did people like them….

Thank you to JHSGF, angee, nerwen, akuryo, novembershowers, katrinahopes and all the other BOF authors whose works have inspired me. As I said when I started this story — I had stopped writing (or even reading fanfiction) for many years and reading their work gave the inspiration to try again. Thanks to them and to all my readers, I was even able to finally finish a story I wrote 10 years ago.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review if you have time — I'm trying to gauge if I still have it in me to write an epilogue…

Love,

Daphne


	16. Epilogue-HappyEverAftersI

EPILOGUE

Happy Ever Afters I

Prince Charming

The young woman hurried to cross the street, struggling along with what felt like a sea of tourists and pedestrians all headed towards the same place. She clutched the chic Burberry trench coat closer around her now - not so tiny – frame against the cold wind that blew off the river. Springtime weather in Paris was always unpredictable and she was glad now that she agreed to buy the coat, despite initially blanching at the price tag, eliciting a chuckle from someone and the incredulous looks the saleswoman failed to hide in time – perhaps the saleslady was not used the usual patrons of their store even checking price tags, but Jan Di was still the same girl she always was, and despite her changed circumstances, was still practical with money and slightly disturbed by how Ji Hoo and the rest of F4 seemed to spend money like water.

She paused by the bank to catch her breath, perhaps she should have agreed to the offer of a town car after all. But to her, to whom Paris had been home for a while, it was a city better experienced by trying to live as much like the locals as possible. And this included taking the slightly dirty, often crowded and dimly lit Metro. She looked at her feet. Could it even be possible that they had gotten bigger since that morning? Sighing, she straightened up and tucking a long strand of hair behind her ear, proceeded to walk the rest of the way to her destination.

No matter how often she saw it, Jan Di was always amazed by its beauty, and each time she had a chance to visit the City of Lights, she made sure to spend some time here. Up ahead, the sun was about to set and the view of the Eiffel Tower from the Pont Alexandre had attracted the usual crowd of tourists, photographers and random passers by enjoying the early Parisian evening.

Finally reaching her destination, Jan Di leaned against the masonry railings and drank in the view — smiling as she remembered what had happened here 6 years ago. She had certainly come a long way from the lost, frightened girl she had been that afternoon. Jan Di at 25 had grown into her own skin, the childish bangs and bob had been grown out into a longer, more adult sleek waterfall of dark hair, she was still the Weed but the weed had been domesticated into something that was just as comfortable in its natural habitat as it was in the most rarified drawing rooms of the elite of Seoul — but what had not changed was the way she radiated warmth and life and passion. All of which reflected in the art that she had seriously pursued that last six years.

Returning from Paris, Ji Hoo had taken Jan Di straight to the register's office and married her — she had no objection. Neither had wanted a big wedding and the unwanted attention that would come with it. On the 3rd month anniversary of their civil wedding, Ji Hoo surprised Jan Di by flying her off to Kauai where on a moonlit beach before a local minister, and attended only by Harabeoji, Kang San, Chu Ga Eul, Song Woo Bin and So Yi Jeong, Ji Hoo married his wife again — this time in a religious ceremony.

The press had marvelled and speculated about the rushed wedding until the grand wedding of Gu Jun Pyo to JK Heiress Ha Jae Kyung and the stupendous circus of a wedding that Madame Kang orchestrated proved to be more interesting. And eventually, when the tabloid's "baby-watch" failed to materialise and Jan Di's belly remained flat after a year of marriage, the rumours of a shotgun wedding (which Yi Jeong speculated had been started by Madame Kang) died down and the press moved on to more interesting gossip.

Jan Di had enrolled in Shinhwa's art school at Ji Hoo's urging, while he pursued his medical degree eventually deciding to specialise in pediatrics. Harabeoji was in his early 70s now but still as strong as ever, although he good natured lay grumbled that Ji Hoo was taking too long to finish medical school and take over the clinic.

Jan Di sighed happily. It had been a wonderful day catching up with Harabeoji Il Sung and Il Jin — the latter having grown into a handsome young man, and Il Sung, as kind and dear as ever. Jan Di smiled recalling the wonderful luncheon they had shared (Kwang-si had not been invited despite how desperately pleasant she had been trying to be to Jan Di the last few years when she discovered who she had married) as she closed her eyes briefly and felt the warmth of the sun still visible in the sky though it was already early evening. She was a bit early for their dinner plans — but she was already starving and wondering how much longer she would have to wait when she felt familiar arms wrap around her waist and the touch of soft lips against the side of her neck.

"Have you been waiting long my otter?" Yoon Ji Hoo asked his wife, careful not to squeeze her too tightly, although the smell of her hair, the fact that he hadn't seen her all day and the activities from early that morning strongly tempted him to just carry her off into the waiting town car and to their suite so they could continue the morning's "discussion".

"Hmmmm." Jan Di hummed contentedly, snuggling deeper into Ji Hoo's arms. "Not long — I was just thinking about the first time we were on this bridge together." She replied.

Ji Hoo just smiled and turning her around, kissed her deeply — he didn't like to think of the time when he had lost her, no matter how happy the ending had been. Sometimes, he still woke up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, dreaming that he was back to that horrible time when he could not find her. It was usually after one of those dreams that he would reach out next to him and make love to his wife so fiercely that they would both be left gasping for breath, tired and spent and bleary eyed from lack of sleep the next day.

Jan Di knew what her husband was thinking — their habit of being able to tell what the other was thinking, of finishing each other's sentences, anticipating what the other was about to say, had only gotten stronger over time — and tightened her embrace, comforting him without words.

The she smiled a bit naughtily — "I know what you're thinking about Yoo Ji Hoo and I can't cheer you up the way you want. And this little one is hungry." Jan Di said, pulling a bit away from Ji Hoo and pointing to her now protruding belly.

Ji Hoo smiled at her — the beautiful, wonderful, wide smile that had become less rare after they had gotten married.

"Ah. In that case, the little prince must be fed immediately. Song Woo Bin would not be pleased." He joked, stroking her pregnant belly gently.

Jan Di was in the second trimester of her pregnancy and a few days before their flight to Paris, he had insisted on a full medical check up to make sure she could still travel safely. Jan Di joked that she didn't need one since she would be travelling with her both of her personal physicians but Ji Hoo retorted that he was only a resident in Pediatrics and not obstetrics, while Harabeoji added his arguments to Ji Hoo's saying that he would cancel the trip unless Jan Di agreed to the check. It was at the check up that Jan Di's obstetrician had informed the ecstatic parents-to-be that they were having a boy.

(Self-appointed godfather Woo Bin had already began making a inquiries as to whether the Lotus car company could be persuaded to manufacture a miniature battery powered child-size version of his beloved Elise, until Chu Ga Eul threatened to clobber him with her shoe for thinking of such a preposterous thing — the irrepressible Woo Bin simply decided that discretion was the better part of valour and instructed his secretary to make the inquiries more "discreetly" — in other words, to keep the matter a secret from his scary fiancée.)

"How was your day little Otter? You didn't tire yourself out too much did you?" Ji Hoo asked his wife concernedly. Logically, he knew he shouldn't coddle her, but his brain often lost out to his heart and the wish to wrap her up in cotton wool and confine her to their bed until she safely delivered was a difficult one to overcome. Having nearly lost her once, he could never completely shake off the fear that she might disappear any moment.

"The weather was crazy today!" Jan Di replied, tucking her arm into the crook of his as they strolled slowly down the bridge, hading for the car. "It was so hot in the gallery this morning and then it rained while I was having lunch with Harabeoji Il Sung and Il Jin and then cold now — and the metro was a mess as usual."

"Thank you for my coat by the way…although I don't think the baby needed a matching one this early in life…" she said, slapping his arm playfully.

"Ahhh but it was too cute not to buy." Ji Hoo said unfazed. "Also, if I hadn't bought it Yi Jeong would probably have and he keeps telling me I'm cheap."

Jan Di just laughed and shook her head at him. As a matter of fact, it was quite the opposite — although Ji Hoo did not enjoy spending money on himself, since their marriage she had to constantly stop him from buying her things or spending on her family. The Geums remained in the islands, and had decided to stay where Il Bong was far away from the temptations of big city life. Although it saddened her that her relationship with her parents had not improved, Jan Di was at least happy that Ji Hoo insisted on bringing Kang San back to Seoul where he now lived with them. At 14, the young man was attending Shinhwa and idolized his Hyung Ji Hoo. And Ji Hoo was happy to know that when he was at the hospital, Jan Di and Harabeoji had an able bodied young man at home to watch over them.

"How are the preparations for your exhibit, did you see Harabeoji at the embassy?" Ji Hoo asked. The Yoons, accompanied by Woo Bin and Chu Ga Eul were all in Paris to participate in a special exhibit of young Korean artists, including Yi Jeong and Jan Di. The exhibit had began touring months ago in various Korean embassies across the globe, but given that the tour had started in the first trimester of her pregnancy, Jan Di and Ji Hoo had decided to wait until Jan Di had passed the delicate period before travelling — so this Parisian exhibit was the first time Jan Di would be able to attend. Yi Jeong was of course, the star of the show, having been an established artist long before Jan Di. However, Jan Di's miniatures had been steadily gaining a following over the last two years so she had been invited to join as well.

Jan Di had been skeptical at first, wondering how much of her invitation to the special exhibit had been due to her actual talent as opposed to Yoon Ji Hoo's grandfather's influence — until the repeated calls started coming in from various galleries in different countries offering to purchase her paintings. Ji Hoo of course, made it very clear that the paintings were not and would never be for sale — the exhibit pieces Jan Di had chosen had been the Violinist Series that she had painted in Paris.

"Very briefly – he was closeted in meetings with the Ambassador all afternoon, but he did say he would join us for dinner if he could get out early enough. Meanwhile, Yi Jeong was flirting with every pretty girl in sight and stopped only to scream at me when I tried to lift anything heavier than a drinking glass." Jan Di narrated, laughing at the remembrance of how the suave Yi Jeong could instantaneously transform from smooth ladies man to mother hen in less than five seconds.

"Hmmm…" Ji Hoo said joining her amusement with a light chuckle. "I'm amazed he actually followed my instructions."

"Yah!" Jan Di objected slapping his arm again "I'm not an invalid you know!"

"I just don't want you to get tired out — some exercise is good but too much strenuous activity isn't healthy."

"Hmmm…is that so Doctor Yoon?" Jan Di asked, cocking her head jauntily

"That is so." Ji Hoo retorted, putting on his doctor face, patting her head.

"So I suppose this means we need to stop doing strenuous things?" She asked, a teasing glint in her eye.

"Yes,"

"Like this morning?" The young woman smirked and ran away.

Chasing his wife and catching her easily with his long strides, Ji Hoo pulled her close to him again and kissed her — normally he disliked PDA, but this WAS Paris after all, and he was very much in love.

"I may need to do a reassessment of that before we make a decision. This requires further investigation tonight and possibly tomorrow morning as well…" he whispered into her ear, causing shivers to course through Jan Di's body. "You don't need to be at the exhibit until noon do you?"

"I could be persuaded to come in late…"

With Yoon Ji Hoo, Gu Jun Pyo both married and Song Woo Bin engaged to Chu Ga Eul, Cassanova was only eligible bachelor left in F4 and showed no signs of settling down yet. While Jun Pyo had distanced himself from the young Yoon couple, much to Ji Hoo's sadness, Woo Bin and Yi Jeong were very much part of their lives. It had recently become a contest between Woo Bin and Yi Jeong as to who would be the first born 2nd generation F4's godfather —- Woo Bin claiming the title immediately, reminding Ji Hoo of his promise in Paris six years before — which Yi Jeong claimed was void as it was obtained under duress and moreover, that HE, the handsome, gallant, exceptionally talented So Yi Jeong would make the more suitable godfather as Woo Bin would no no doubt be a horrible one.

During such arguments, Ji Hoo refuse to take sides (although he and Jan Di had already decided that all three F4 – even Jun Pyo – would be requested to be godfathers, it was more fun to watch the two to fight it out.). Meanwhile, Jan Di would simply laugh at their antics and claim neither of them would be godfathers unless they cleaned out their potty mouths and behaved properly.

The Yoon mansion was a completely different place since Jan Di came. Harabeoji and Kang San had both moved in, and most nights Woo Bin or Yi Jeong or more often than not, both were over at the house, saying that Jan Di's cooking was the best around. Often Woo Bin was accompanied by Ga Eul — and the two girls spent many nights planning Ga Eul's wedding, the new baby's nursery or just chatting about whatever it was women talked about behind their men's backs.

And where there was once a lonely boy in a large quiet house, Yoon Ji Hoo now had a noisy, happy home. Not a house. A home. Because his lotus had given him a family.

The couple were almost at the end of the street where Secretary Jun was, as usual, waiting next to the luxurious town car. Watching them approach from a distance, he allowed himself to smile. Young Master Yoon had grown into a fine man and the young Mrs. Yoon had brought only happiness to the Yoon house. With the arrival of the new baby Yoon, Secretary Jun looked forward to a new generation to take care of.


	17. EpilogueII

EPILOGUE 2

HAPPILY EVER AFTER : THE REAL PRINCE CHARMING

Author's Note : After completing "Not Quite the Fairy Tale" I was convinced that I was done with writing BOF FanFiction. – guess who was WRONG? I love the Jan-Hoo pairing so much that I decided I would just revisit the Yoons one last time (but I could be wrong again).

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The early afternoon sun shone through the large plate glass window into a large, airy (albeit messy) room filled with several paintings in various stages of completion and a young couple currently in the midst of a physical altercation.

"Will you please leave already?" Jan Di exasperatedly told her husband, trying (and failing) to physically push him out of her studio, Ji Hoo looked deceptively lean and lithe but was at the moment, as immovable as the proverbial mountain. "I promise to work for only a couple of hours and then rest for the remainder of the afternoon."

Ji Hoo looked at his pregnant wife skeptically, he knew she meant every word she was saying (at the moment) but she was also known for getting lost in her art and forgetting everything around her when she became engrossed in her current work. Moreover, as her due date approached, she had gotten quite moody and cranky — much to Yoon Ji Hoo's amusement. "Ok but you really need to rest Otter, your feet are swelling up and it's not good for your blood pressure." Ji Hoo emphasised.

"Yes yes — you are acting like a nagging old Ahjussi Yoon Ji Hoo. I promise. Cross my fingers and you can send in the troops if I don't stop by 3 PM."

She started pushing her husband toward the door again, adding a couple of slaps to his behind for emphasis. — "Seriously, Yoon Ji Hoo….move already!"

"I'll do better than that…."JI Hoo muttered. "And seriously Guem Jan Di…all this violence!" He smirked.

"Yes yes Ahjussi…" Jan Di muttered.

He was about to turn and go when he was suddenly struck by how…well..cute.. his wife looked in one of his old shirts that she used as a painting smock, her hair haphazardly tucked into a messy bun on the top of her head. Even 37 weeks pregnant he found her as breathtaking and sexy as he did when he was a love struck 20 year old.

"Did you just call me an Ahjussi?" Ji Hoo asked rhetorically, moving toward his wife with a very predatory look in his eye — the nurses at Shinhwa Hospital (where Yoon Ji Hoo was a very respected pediatric consultant) would have been shocked. After many of the young female nurses, doctors and the occasional patient or their mothers had tried (and failed in epic proportions) to seduce, charm or convince the handsome young doctor into an affair, Yoon Ji Hoo had earned the sobriquet "Stone Cold Yoon" due to his seeming indifference to all female charms.

"Errr…did I?" Jan Di stammered, recognising the look in her husband's eyes, slowly backing away. Unfortunately, she had backed herself (literally) into a corner and Yoon Ji Hoo stole what he had intended to be a quick peck from his wife but which turned into several long minutes of quickly escalating kisses, and his old shirt ending up on the floor as his hands seemed to move of their own accord under the tank top she wore under the smock. Jan Di had never been voluptuous but her pregnancy had enhanced her "assets" — which her husband was currently enamoured of and which he was currently paying very close attention to.

A breathless ten minutes later Ji Hoo finally let his wife go, frustrated as hell because this close to her due date, it wasn't optimal to finish what he had just unwittingly started.

With a groan of frustration, he smirked at his blushing wife and tried to straighten out his clothes but then both noticed a small glob of azure paint on his doctor's coat.

"Oops sorry….uhmmm…I'm pretty sure that will come out….I am a dry cleaner after all." Jan Di apologized. "And besides…this is all your fault for attacking a poor, defenceless pregnant woman." She stuck her tongue out at Ji Hoo who just laughed. Jan Di decided it was best to find somewhere to sit, feeling her knees threaten to give way.

"Fine…fine…luckily I have time for a quick shower and change anyway." Ji Hoo replied as he made his way to the door. "A cold one…" he muttered under his breath.

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"You see this — it says one o'clock right now right?" Ji Hoo said sternly.

"Yes sir."

"The very second it says three o'clock, you are supposed to do what?" He quizzed.

"Go to the studio and make her stop working."

"And?"

"And tell Secretary Jun to call you at the hospital to report."

"Very good!" Ji Hoo said.

With a jaunty mock salute at his able lieutenant, Ji Hoo let himself out of the house where his motorcycle was waiting, taking the keys and his helmet from the housekeeper who was standing by the door.

It was the same white Ducati motorcycle he had had since his bachelor days — and Jan Di joked that he loved it more than he loved her. But Secretary Jun and his army of assistants kept it in pristine condition because whenever the weather permitted, it was still Yoon Ji Hoo's preferred mode of transport. He especially loved it when Jan Di rode behind him, but with the pregnancy he absolutely refused to let her on it — Woo Bin jokingly offered to buy Jan Di a bullet proof, double metal panelled SUV and Ji Hoo was actually considering it until Jan Di and Ga Eul threatened to beat up their men into submission.

Only a few weeks more until the baby came, he grinned as he started the motorcycle — a few weeks until they could ride together again…and other stuff.

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Yoon Jan Hoo, aged 4, was not having a good day.

First of all, Mrs. Han had confiscated his sword saying that he was wasn't supposed to run around with it because it might hurt himself. And she wouldn't listen when he tried to explain that he was chasing a dragon in the garden —- and how was he supposed to do that if he wasn't running around? And Omma always said he was her prince…what was a prince without a sword?

To be fair to Mrs. Han, however what young Yoon Jan Hoo had been attempting to run around with when apprehended, was an actual Toledo steel miniature of a duelling sword from Spain, formerly displayed in his father's study and which his godfather had brought him back as a souvenir from Woo Bin and Ga Eul's European honeymoon. Questioning the wisdom of giving a 4 year a bladed weapon, Ji Hoo had immediately confiscated the sword and mounted it high up on the wall of his study (in the mistaken belief that it would be safe there from the rambunctious little boy).

Unfortunately for Yoon Ji Hoo, he had underestimated his son's dexterity, complete disregard for his personal safety and the effect of hanging out with his godfather Woo Bin at the latter's martial arts training sessions. This coupled with Yoon Jan Hoo's natural stubborn determination (inherited from his mother, no doubt) and resourcefulness, it was quite easy for Jan Hoo to stack several of his Appa's thick medical books, his plastic stool and his father's swivel chair in order to reach the (luckily blunt tipped) duelling foil.

He hadn't even been in the garden for five minutes when he was quickly caught by Mrs. Han and several panicking housemaids. Well…it was their own fault if they all got eaten up by that huge dragon, the much put-upon Yoon Jan Hoo pouted.

To make matters worse, Omma was about to have another baby and no one loved him anymore. He had wanted to sit on her lap and Appa had made him get off because he said Jan Hoo might crush the stupid baby. And worse, Appa wouldn't let him sleep in the bed with Omma anymore because he said that Jan Hoo kicked. But Omma was always complaining that the baby kicked her too! And from the inside of her tummy too! That had to be worse right? It was too, too mean.

Even Harabeoji, who never EVER got mad at him had scolded him this morning for wanting Omma to carry him.

And all the maids and Mrs. Han were already calling Omma's tummy "the little prince" — why did they need another little prince, when he, Yoon Jan Hoo, was already here. Although Omma said a little princess would be just as wonderful and Appa said it would be a surprise. Japan Hoo's little farce scrunched up into a scowl — what kind of stupid baby was it that it didn't even know if it wanted to be a girl or a boy?

Muttering at the unfairness of the world in general and Mrs. Han in particular, Jan Hoo decided to visit Omma in her studio. He would paint her a picture and give it to her as a present and maybe his beautiful Omma would realize that he was better than any dumb baby. He suddenly just felt like he needed to go to Omma, and forgetting his grievances against the unfeeling adults in the house for the moment, went to his mother's studio.

On his way, he looked at the iwatch on his wrist – a present from uncle Yi Jeong – and it said "3:00" — quickly remembering his Appa's instructions, Jan Hoo ran the rest of the way to his Omma's studio. It was one of his favorite places in the world — Omma had given him his very own corner, with her very own small easel and place to hang his small violin. Omma liked him to play for her when she painted — he could even play parts of "Ode to Joy" already — and the dumb baby prince couldn't do that could it?!

"Omma! Appa said to make you stop working when it's 3! And it's 3! My new watch says so!" Jan Hoo said, bursting into the studio — he had yet to remember about knocking first, though he was usually a very polite little boy.

"Omma?" Jan Hoo asked, wondering why his mom was sitting on the floor of the studio in a puddle of water, huffing and puffing like a crazy person.

"Ah…." Jan Di said, "Just who I needed…my very own prince…ah….charming…" Jan Di grimaced as a wave of pain overcame her. "Did you hear me calling you?" Even at 4, little Jan Hoo, who was an almost identical miniature copy of his father and often, Jan Di noticed, seemed to have also inherited the firefighter's alarm that let them know when Jan Di needed help.

"Omma, are your ok? I will call Appa and Secretary Jun right away!" Jan Hoo said, running out of the room as Jan Di leaned back against the wall, trying to time the contractions. Labor for this baby seemed to be happening alarmingly faster than it had when Jan Hoo was born — that time, she had noticed the pains coming hours before the contractions strengthened to this degree. Yet she had woken up fine this morning other than a low back pain which she assumed was due to the toll the additional 15 pounds of pregnancy weight was taking on her small frame. Jan Di breathed in and out as she and Ji Joo had practiced — and from what she recalled from her delivery with Jan Hoo as she waited for help to come, biting her lip when the pain became too intense.

Soon, she heard the pattering of running little feet, the babble of excited adult voices and knew that help was coming.

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Yoon Ji Hoo was in the middle of afternoon rounds when his phone buzzed in his breast pocket. Checking his wristwatch, he noted it was 10 minutes past three and he couldn't help a small smile escape and make its way to his lips — Jan Hoo was 10 minutes late with the call, it must have been harder than ever, even for the apple of Geum Jan Di's eye, to convince her to stop working for the day. But thinking of his small son, he could already imagine the intense of look of dogged persistence on his little face as he forced his mother to rest.

"Yobeoseyo?"

"Appa…appa…we's coming to the hopsital...can I ride the ambulance with Omma….tell Mrs. Han…she is being mean and won't let me…and Omma wants me, she is crying and her tummy hurts…and I really really want to go because I is her Prince and I gots to keep her safe…AND SHE PEED IN HER PANTS!!". A torrent of excited words tumbled out, in rapid succession from the excited little boy on the other end of the telephone.

However, one word and one word only caught Ji Hoo's attention and immediately switched him into protective mode — "ambulance".

"Ok Jan Hoo-ah, give the phone to Harabeoji, is he there?" Yoon Ji Hoo asked his soon urgently.

A few minutes of discussion with his grandfather revealed that Secretary Jun and the chauffeur were out of the house when Jan Hoo discovered his mother in labor, her water having broken, and prompting his Grandfather to overrule Jan Di's insistence that she wait for the family driver to return and instead, to send for an ambulance — said ambulance having just arrived and the whole entourage consisting of President Yoon Seok Young, Yoon Jan Hoo, Mrs. Han the housekeeper and Jan Hoo's nanny preparing to leave for the hospital.

With shaky hands, Ji Hoo ended the call and with a big grin, turned to the group of pediatric residents who had been accompanying him of his rounds. Jan Di's due date had not officially been for another week or tow — but honestly, they could have counted wrong and it was certainly difficult to keep track when even after years of marriage, the Yoons still had a hard time keeping their hands off each other.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm afraid I'll have to leave you to finish the rest of the rounds as I have a bit of an emergency — Dr. Kim, please take over from here."

Handing over the file he was currently holding, Ji Hoo broke into a sprint — the ambulance should arrive in a few minutes and he wanted to be there when it did.

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The loud piercing wail of an infant penetrated into the hallway where President Yoon, joined the household staff including Secretary Jun (who had arrived a scant 10 minutes after the ambulance, almost prostrate with apologies for not having been there when Geum Jan Di had gone into labor), Mrs. Han and Jan Hoo's nanny. All were breathlessly awaiting the arrival of the new baby Yoon. Jan Di and Ji Hoo had decided that unlike with Jan Di's pregnancy with Jan Hoo, they would wait for the birth to find out the gender of the new baby so all were excited to know.

An almost out of breath Woo Bin arrived just then, followed more sedately by Chu Ga Eul who just shook her head good naturedly at her new husband's antics, smiling a secret smile as she wondered how exponentially his panic would grow in seven months or so…when it was her turn. Of course, she had not told her husband yet — she had only confirmed it that morning and had planned to was reveal the news over dinner when Woo Bin called had rushed in a dragged her to Shinhwa Hospital.

"Did we miss it Yoon-ssi?" Woo Bin asked Harabeoji who smiled benignly and pointed at the door to the delivery room where the sound of a very unhappy baby could be heard.

"The delivery proceeded with no complications — and it seems Baby Yoon has just announced his or her arrival."

"Yah…and it sounds like he or she inherited Geum Jan Di's lungs…" a sarcastic voice said out of the speakerphone in Woo Bin's hand. So Yi Jeong, currently in Luxembourg opening a new exhibit of his works had received the call from his best friend as Ga Eul and Woo Bin had been rushing to the hospital where they learned that Jan Di had been rushed to the emergency room.

Smiles were exchanged and congratulations given to Harabeoji who couldn't help beam as proudly as if HE had delivered the baby — he and Ji Hoo had been alone so long that the old man was ecstatic that their small family was growing.

Everyone was ecstatic…except for a small little boy currently sitting at the end of the row of plastic chairs, rhythmically kicking the chair next to him with his little foot — a scowl of epic proportions on his face — periodically being heard to murmur "stupid baby" at random moments.

Everyone turned as the doors to the delivery suite opened and a beaming, albeit somewhat disheveled Yoon Ji Hoo came out carrying a small, squirming bundle. All eyes turned to look as he announced.

"Everyone, I would like you to meet Yoon Jin Na. She is 8 pounds 2 ounces and her mother is doing well too."

The crowd rushed to Ji Hoo and for a good five minutes, nothing but "ooohs", "aahs" and "awwwwss" could be heard, interspersed by increasingly irate demands from Yi Jeong that someone PLEASE send a photo of the new baby immediately.

"And where is my Jan Hoo-ah?" The proud father asked, wondering where his little son had gone.

"Omo! Omo!" The nanny panicked, turning 360 degrees several times, wondering where her little charge had gone "Sir, the young master was just sitting there…"

"Ah! There he is!" Ge Eul whispered to Ji Hoo, spotting a small Gucci sneaker clad foot sticking out from behind the drink vending machine at the end of the hallway.

(Because really, what were the odds that another four year old in 600 dollar sneakers could possibly be in the hallway at the same time ? thought Chu Ga Eul sardonically. Of course, there had been no arguing with Woo Bin who had insisted that his godson could not possibly survive pre-school unless he was clad in said designer sneakers.)

"He's been feeling a bit…neglected because of the new baby." Harabeoji told the the Songs as the household staff nodded.

"You can all go in and visit Jan Di now" Ji Hoo told his family — for in reality, unrelated by blood though they were – this group were family to him and Jan Di. "But only for a few minutes — she needs to rest. I'm going to introduce this little one to Jan Hoo."

Meanwhile…

Yoon Jan Hoo clutched his stuffed otter closely to him — "You will always love me right? Even if Omma and Appa have that noisy baby now?" He whispered to the bedraggled toy, one he had had since he was infant and a gift from his Appa. "Don't worry Ottie, we's gonna run away and live in the ocean…anyway Omma and Appa don't love us anymore…" he confided to his furry friend, so engrossed in his rumination that he failed to notice the approach of Yoon Ji Hoo, still clad in his scrubs.

"Jan Hoo-ah, if you run away, who will help Omma and Appa take care of the new baby?" Ji Hoo asked, kneeling down carefully so that he was at eye level with his small son. "I have someone here who wants to meet you. Don't you want to come see?"

Jan Hoo looked up in surprise, for he had been so engrossed in self-pity that he didn't notice his Appa. He looked at his father, his little rosebud mouth scrunched up and quivering at the tears he was trying to hold back — because Uncle Woo Bin said that big boys of 4 did NOT cry.

"Come here Jan Hoo-ah" Ji Hoo said in a gentle voice, beckoning to the little boy with his free arm.

Jan Hoo hesitated, clutching Ottie even closer.

"Of course Appa and Omma still love you very much —- and now you have a little baby sister who will love you too. Don't you want to meet her?"

Finally making up his mind, Jan Hoo let his tears fall and fell into his father's one armed hug. "But…but Appa, I's not Omma little prince anymore…because the new baby…" he sobbed.

Trying to stifle his laughter, Ji Hoo put on a serious face — "Of course you are! You are a big brother now, and this little one needs you to watch her and protect her from dragons and monsters and bad guys, right?"

Eventually, Jan Hoo's curiousity won over his distress and from his father's other arm, ventured a look at the small squirming pink thing in the blanket his Appa held.

"She is very tiny…" he said critically

"Well yes — that's why you need to take care of her." Ji Hoo replied, his heart almost bursting with love and happiness as he looked at both his children in his arms.

"And…Appa, she is wrinkled and ugly…couldn't you get a prettier one?" Jan Hoo said, not quite impressed.

"She will grow and be as beautiful as your Omma." Ji Hoo answered, hugging him a bit tighter. Having been an only child, he could only imagine what little Jan Hoo was feeling about the new arrival.

"And she is noisy." Jan Hoo frowned as little Ji Na opened her little mouth wide and started to cry.

"I think she needs to go to Omma now…little babies have to have milk from their Omma so they can grow and get bigger. Do you want to come with me and see Omma, she has been looking for you…" Ji Hoo said, smiling at the still disgruntled little boy.

With a last, long look at the baby, Jan Hoo nodded at his father. Ji Hoo rose, cradling Ji Na securely and took Jan Hoo's little hand in his. The two made their way to the delivery room, just as Jan Di was being wheeled out to be transferred to her room, she was asleep, the delivery albeit a quick one, had drained much of her energy.

A delivery room nurse approached Ji Hoo quickly and took baby Ji Na from him —- she would need to be taken to the nursery first.

"Here he is! Our new Oppa!" Woo Bin announced upon seeing Jan Hoo walking hand in hand with his father. "Well, Jan Hoo…what did you think of the new sister?"

"Well…" Jan Hoo said, looking sideways at his Appa and hoping that his father would not be mad "She is very tiny, and ugly and red. And she is noisy. I think they maybe ran out of pretty ones when Omma and Appa got her…"

Everyone tried to hide their smiles — Jan Hoo had been the Prince of F4 for a while, and they were all guilty of spoiling him a little…ok…a LOT.

"So I guess..I has to take care of her…because I am stronger and bigger and she is so small.."

To his puzzlement, everyone wanted to kiss him and Jan Hoo wondered what exactly he had done.

"That's my good boy…" Woo Bin said, ruffling his godson's hair. "And because you are an Oppa now, Uncle Woo Bin and Auntie Ga Eul will buy you a special present!"

Ji Hoo and Ga Eul exchanged knowing looks. God only knew what ridiculously extravagant present Woo Bin would come up with this time…

"Just make sure it's not a live animal, weapon or motorised vehicle ok?" Ji Hoo whispered to Ga Eul who only shook her head resignedly and grinned at him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A few celebratory flutes of champagne later courtesy of woo Bin — Ji Hoo did not even want to know how his friend had managed to smuggle alcohol into a hospital — the family left, promising to visit the next day — and after a long conversation with Yi Jeong whereby the latter made Ji Hoo promise that he would be Yoon Ji Na's ONLY godfather (Yi Jeong still felt cheated that Woo Bin had "stolen" that honour in Paris for Jan Hoo), the Yoon men, minus Harabeoji who had gone home to celebrate some more with Secretary Jun and the staff, were finally alone.

Ji Hoo had briefly left Jan Hoo with one of the nurses while he changed out of his scrubs and could only grin when he returned to find his little son surrounded by at least five pretty young nurses, all fawning over him. "Maybe this F4 thing is hereditary after all…" he thought to himself in amusement.

"Ah Yoon Ji Hoo-ssi, you wife has just woken up and is looking for you." A nurse coming out of Jan Di's room said, as if on cue as Ji Hoo approached the room after having extricated Jan Hoo from his fan club.

Smiling his thanks, Ji Hoo opened the door quietly and led little Jan Hoo in. The room was dim and Jan Di was sitting up on the bed, looking exhausted but otherwise fine. He led his little boy to his wife and kissed her gently, "Thank you for my daughter…" he whispered. Jan Di smiled and kissed him back, "I remember you had something to do with producing her too…"

"Yeeech." A little voice broke the romantic moment and two pairs of parental eyes turned to look at the little person staring at them with mild disgust. "Cooties…"

The Yoons had to laugh and Ji Hoo lifted his son to the side of the bed, divesting him of his little shoes so that he could snuggle next to his mother.

"And what is this I heard about my little one running away?" Jan Di asked, gently sweeping Jan Hooo's bangs from his forehead (she must remember to ask Ji Hoo to cut his hair, she made a mental note — for Jan Hoo refused to let anyone else, including his mother, to come near him with hair shears) and kissing him gently. "What was wrong little one?"

"I…I thought…I though Omma and Appa wouldn't want me anymore…because you have the new baby now." Jan Hoo confessed, feeling about ready to cry again.

(What if Appa had been lying? What if Omma would only want Ji Na now? His classmate at pre-school told him that it was like when her own Appa had bought a new car, they had sold the old one)

"Now how could that be?" Jan Di asked, pulling him closer to her as Ji Hoo sat on the other side of the bed, stroking Jan Hoo's hair. "You know when you were born, Appa and Omma's hearts got bigger because we were so happy to have you? And even with the new baby, all our hearts will just get even bigger again to make room for Ji Na. Don't you feel your heart getting bigger too our Jan Hoo-ah?"

Jan Di took her son's little hand and placed it over her heart. "No matter how many more babies Omma has, Jan Hoo is the first one to make Omma's heart grow bigger and Omma will never, ever, ever stop loving her Jan Hoo-ah."

At that point, little Jan Hoo's tears managed to overcome him — maybe Uncle Woo Bin was wrong and big boys could cry sometimes. (Because just now, wasn't Appa wiping off a tear too?)

Embracing his mother as hard as he could, he whispered "I love you so much Omma. I will take care of you and ugly baby forever."

"What would Omma do without her Prince Charming?" Jan Di said, smiling tenderly at the little boy in her arms and the big one who enclosed her in a warm embrace.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I hope you enjoyed – I couldn't resist


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